


Child of the Sky

by haiplana



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Battle, Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Civil War, Conflict, Death, Drama, F/F, Fighting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Grounder Clarke Griffin, Grounder Culture, Love, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death, Possible Character Death, Romance, Slow Build, Smut, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-05-20 08:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 40,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5999119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haiplana/pseuds/haiplana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which 3 year old Clarke is accidentally sent to the ground and is adopted by a Trikru family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Child

“ _Leksa! Hos houm raun!_ ” Despite her mother’s callings, Lexa continued to play with her friends. She was in the middle of combat, three against one, and she was winning. Her grip on her wooden sword was firm but flexible, and she kept her footing steady. A child darted towards her from her right side, and she turned, brown braids flying. Lexa knocked the weapon from the boy’s hand and tripped him, pinning him on the ground with her stick. The surrounding children cheered, and a triumphant smile whispered over her lips. Her stance faltered for a moment, giving the boy below her a chance to jump up and pull her by her sword. Gasps and whoops filled the area, and the wind was pushed out of Lexa’s lungs. She tried to hide her audible breaths, doing her best to maintain some of her pride.

“ _Leksa! Nau!_ ” Lexa’s mother called again. A hand was on Lexa’s arm, and she turned her head to find a girl, Costia, her good friend, helping her up. Costia’s brown gaze was tender as she pulled her friend to her feet.

“You put up a good fight,” the girl mumbled. She brushed dirt and grass from Lexa’s shoulders and hair, then stepped back to give the girl some room.

“Thank you,” Lexa whispered, and she watched as Costia blushed. Nodding, Lexa turned and ran off towards her home in the center of their village. People were just reaching their homes after a long day of training, farming, tool-making, and hunting. They looked exhausted, and Lexa pondered how they could be so weary on a beautiful summer evening. The sun was just beginning to set, but the girl’s heart raced. She longed to be running about, fighting with her friends, pretending to be a warrior in battle.

“You’re late for dinner, Lexa,” Lexa’s mother said, a stern look in her green eyes.

“I’m sorry, _Nomon_ ,” Lexa giggled, pushing past her mother and into the hut. The room was dark, and candles cast erie shadows on the walls. Lexa’s father sat at their small dining table, as did a woman. Her hair was light and her cheekbones high, and Lexa instantly recognized the strong face. She gasped, and the two adults turned to her.

“Lexa,” the girl’s father chimed, “Anya has come to meet you. Please, greet her.” His tone was warm as ever, the love for his child seeping through his words.

“Hello, Anya _sis_ ,” Lexa replied meekly. The woman nodded to the girl and turned back to her father. They began talking, and Lexa moved to sit at the table across from them. Food had already been set on the table, so Lexa’s mother immediately took her place across from her husband.

“She will have seen six years by the end of the summer,” Lexa’s father said. “I think that is a good time to begin her training.”

“That is a young age, Orvar.”

“I have already begun to teach her the ways of the warriors. She is a fast learner, and well disciplined.”

Anya glanced at Lexa for a long moment. The girl did her best to stay still under the warrior’s scrutinizing gaze. “Fine, then. She will be my second, beginning at the end of the summer season.”

“Many thanks, Anya,” Lexa’s mother beamed. No more words were said as the group began to eat. The silence was comfortable, as it always was. From the time Lexa was born, she learned that silence was a gift, and that she should always cherish it. So, she kept quiet, stuffing her face with deer meat and potatoes. The only sound that could be heard was the clinking of the little shells on the ends of her thin braids, the ones her uncle had brought her from the sea. 

Stuffing her face with potatoes, she tried not to stare in awe at Anya. The woman was a strong warrior, and was renowned throughout the village. She had fought many battles against the _Azgeda_ , their rival clan, and lived to see another day. Being her second was an honor that Lexa would soon experience. Orvar, her father, was also a brave warrior, but he had been injured around the time that Lexa was born. His leg was broken, his knee shattered, and he could no longer fight. So, he imparted his wisdom on his young daughter, knowing that she could one day be a fierce fighter.

Lexa’s plate was almost cleared when a soft whining sound emerged. The room stilled as the sound grew louder and louder, until Lexa had to cover her ears. Then, a crash, and the room shook. Silence. People outside began to yell, confusion arising. Orvar stood as quickly as he could and opened the door. Shouting carried into the room, and calls for warriors sounded.

“I must go,” Anya began, “but thank you for the dinner.” She stopped for a moment and looked at Lexa, curiosity in her green eyes. “Come with me, child. We will begin your training tonight.” Lexa nodded, and she followed Anya out of the hut. The woman began to run, and Lexa chased after her, never taking her eyes off her new mentor. They followed a stream of people leading to the southern entrance of the village. They met with some of the other warriors, one of them speaking above the other voices.

“There has been an object from the sky. It has fallen in the southern clearing. We do not know what it is, but we must investigate. Take your weapons, and be ready,” the warrior called, “for we do not know what it could hold.” Questions and confusion swirled around Lexa, and her heart raced with adrenaline. She wasn’t afraid of the unknown, but rather excited by it.

Anya charged ahead with the warriors, and Lexa latched onto her hand as to not get lost in the mix. They hurried through the woods and into the clearing, lined with bushes and tall grasses. Lexa could barely see through the brush, but she could certainly smell smoke, thick and burning. Her eyes itched, but she trudged ahead with Anya. The two of them reached the end of the bushes before the others, and Anya unsheathed her sword. Lexa could see a large object, one of metal that stretched to the sky. Black smoke billowed from its body, and Lexa was sure that it was a great beast sent to eat them all. She swallowed thickly and clung tighter to Anya’s hand. Warriors surrounded the great thing, all with weapons drawn. A young man stepped forward to open the hatch. Slowly, the handle was turned, and the door creaked open. Silence ensued, and stillness. Nothing emerged from the metal beast, and Lexa exhaled. Her body slacked, and she released Anya's hand. The danger seemed to be over, but only until a whimper rang from inside the beast. Lexa shook with fear once again, clinging to her mentor. The whimpers turned to high-pitched cries.

            "Come, Lexa. We must investigate," Anya whispered, moving closer to the beast. Lexa clung to her side, but dutifully moved with her. They stepped onto the metal floor of the great thing, their steps ringing against the walls. The wailing continued, and the two followed the sound. Lexa’s ears were filled with the horrible crying. Her heart tightened at the pain that emanated from the sound.

A few steps further into the beast, and they came upon the source of the crying. A girl of about three was curled up on the floor, a mess of curls around a red, tear streaked face. Lexa looked up to Anya, waiting for the woman’s reaction. Her face softened, a mix of tenderness and confusion passing over her gaze. A warrior stepped in behind them, his footfalls heavy. He grunted, and Anya turned to him.

“It is only a baby,” she said. “ _Chil yu daun_.”

“Be wary. It may be a trap,” the warrior huffed.

Anya narrowed her eyes. “I am sure there is no threat.” She took a few steps toward the crying child, and Lexa followed. “Poor little baby,” Anya muttered. She reached for the baby, who only cried more. Lexa moved closer as well, inspecting her. She found a red liquid on the girl’s head, and moved to wipe it away.

“Blood, Anya,” Lexa said, concern wavering her voice.

“I see. We will have to take her to a healer. First, though, we need to find her a home.” Anya pulled the girl into her arms, and her cries ceased. Only silent tears fell from her eyes. A little clanking sound arose from the girl’s body, and Lexa reached out to look at the chain around the girl’s neck. A metal tag hung from the chain, an inscription in a foreign language imprinted into the tag. She held it up for Anya to see. The woman nodded.

“What does it say?”

“It is a name, in English,” Anya replied, “Clarke.”

“Clarke? That’s a funny name,” Lexa giggled, scrunching her nose.

Anya turned to the warrior that followed them in. “We are taking this child to the village. Someone must take her into their home.”

“I do not know who will,” the warrior replied.

“Someone must,” Anya hissed again. She stepped around the man and continued outside, the girl still wrapped in her arms. Lexa hurried after her and back into the clearing. “It is only a child, not a threat. She is an orphan, and she needs a home.” The warriors outside of the metal beast faltered for a moment, all looking around, waiting for someone to step forward.

“Is she truly from the sky?” a man asked.

“It seems so,” Anya called. “She comes from those who speak English.” Gasps rang through the clearing, muffled whispers and grunts.

A few moments passed, and a man stepped from the crowd. “I will take her,” he said. “My wife and I cannot have children, so we will raise her as our own.”

“Thank you, Grimeon. Let us hurry, she needs to see a healer.” Anya handed the child to Grimeon, and they set off for the village. Lexa walked with them, glancing to Clarke every so often. The child sniffled and whimpered, and Lexa’s stomach dropped. _How sad must she be_ , she thought, _to be all alone, flung from the sky_. Lexa had heard tales of the people living in the sky, those who escaped the destruction of the earth, but they were only stories. No one believed them, anyway.

At the healer, the small Clarke was checked from head to toe. The gash on her head was cleaned with antiseptic and covered in a leaf. Her limbs were fine, and her bones were all intact.

“Strong little one,” Grimeon commented, pride showing in his eyes. “She may make a great warrior someday.”

“We will see,” Anya said, a slight smile reaching her lips. She turned to Lexa. “Run home, tell your parents what has happened. We will resume training at the week’s end.” Lexa nodded and took a step towards the baby. She stroked the girl’s hair, looking into her blue eyes, lost. Then, without another word, she left, setting course for home.

When she reached her house, Lexa realized how exhausted she truly was. She closed her eyes once she stepped in the door, then went straight to the wash basin in her small room to clean her face.

“Is everything all right?” her mother asked.

“Yes, _Nomon_ ,” Lexa replied, yawning. She pulled off her tunic and leggings and slipped into a night shirt.

“Well, what was it?”

Lexa thought for a moment. “It was a little girl,” she explained simply, “Clarke of the sky.”

 

 

 

*          *          *          *

 

Her feet tread lightly on the ground, her breathing was silent. Each movement she made through the forest was calculated and deliberate. Even with the dead leaves that littered the ground, Lexa was a ghost. She spotted her kill, a deer in the distance. With excellent skill, she climbed a nearby tree and settled in its branches. She pulled the bow from her back and unsheathed an arrow, the metal tip glinting in the sun. Her breathing evened out, and she pulled the bow taught. One breath, and she aimed at the stag’s chest. Two breaths, and she was ready to release.

On her third breath, the deer fell, dead, but her arrow remained attached to her bow. Lexa groaned and placed the arrow back in its quiver. She shimmied down the tree and trudged to the fallen stag. A brown arrow was sticking out of the animal, its blue feathers glinting in the sun. _Of course, it had to be her_ , Lexa thought, furrowing her brow. Soon enough, the owner of the arrow strolled to her kill, her blue eyes shining, mirroring the arrow’s feather.

“That was to be my kill, _Clarke_ ,” Lexa bit out around clenched teeth. She did her best to keep her face stern, holding an image of an angry Anya in her head as a model.

“Well, you should have shot him sooner,” Clarke shrugged. She pulled out a knife and plunged it into the stomach of the animal.

“Must you always get in my way?” Lexa asked.

“Trust me, I do not seek out ways to come into contact with you.” Clarke only glanced to Lexa for a moment before continuing with her work on the kill. Lexa narrowed her eyes at Clarke’s golden locks. Her braids were few, but each was intricately woven to compliment the slight waves in her hair. Lexa did her best not to stare, feeling a strange whirring in her stomach.

“Just, stay away from me,” Lexa said, blinking and turning away, trying to erase the softness that had worked its way into her heart.

“As you wish, Lexa,” Clarke hissed. Lexa ignored the way her heart beat at the sound of her name from the other girl’s lips. With a sigh, Lexa turned away and started back to the village. She wasn’t a long way from her home, and she was thankful for that. She still had a few hours before her meeting, which meant she could take a walk with Costia. A smile reached her lips at the thought. Many of her best days were spent with the girl, talking with her, laughing with her, pushing a bit of black hair out of her eyes, as it always seemed to find its way there.

A stray braid fell over Lexa’s shoulder, and she twirled it between her fingers. She was entering the village, and she found herself heading straight for Costia’s hut. Many of the villagers nodded their heads to her in greeting, but she barely noticed. She was in a trance, thinking about her friend. When she reached the door of the girl’s hut, she found Costia sitting outside, sharpening a knife. Her green tunic matched the color of the forest, and her hair was beautifully braided from the top of her head and all the way down. Costia smiled as she saw Lexa, and Lexa beamed.

“Would you like to take a walk?” Lexa asked, her voice light. “I still have a bit of time before the meeting.”

“Certainly,” Costia answered. She stood from her stool and sheathed the blade in her belt. They started on the path to the lake, their favorite spot. “How was the hunt?”

“Horrible. Clarke followed me into the woods and stole my kill.”

“Really?” Costia asked. Lexa nodded. “She needs to stop interfering with you. I think that she is jealous.”

“Jealous of what?” Lexa scoffed.

“Of your talent, your strength, and perhaps she is jealous because you passed the commander’s test,” Costia supplied. “It is a great honor to be the next _heda_.”

“I know, Costia, and I am deeply humbled. But, it is not as though I did anything extraordinary. I am who I am, and I was somehow chosen to lead,” Lexa said. She sighed.

Costia took her hand as they reached the lake. “You are very wise, Lexa,” she complimented. Lexa felt a blush form on her cheeks. She faced the water with Costia beside her, holding her hand firmly. Warmth spread from her limbs to her heart.

“I don’t know if I will be such a good leader as those who have come before me,” Lexa confessed. “I am scared.” Costia placed a hand on Lexa’s cheek, a gentle caress, and Lexa turned to face the girl in front of her. Her brown eyes were deep, and they held such certainty that Lexa could have drowned in them and not cared. She shuddered under the touch, but leaned into it, feeling infinitely more sure of herself with each passing moment.

“You will be a great leader,” Costia whispered. Lexa closed her eyes, and Costia leaned in, gently pressing their lips together. Lexa pushed closer to Costia, deepening the tender kiss. She placed a hand on the girl’s waist, and Costia sighed. “Happy birthday.”

“ _Mochof, Kostia._ ”

 

After sitting with Costia at the lake, Lexa made her way back to the village. Her meeting was to begin soon, and she had to put on her best clothes. She slipped out of her tight black shirt and put on a gray tunic, pulling a vest over top. Exchanging her hunting boots for fresh ones, she went to the washroom to rinse off her face and apply make up. She chose two simple streaks of black down each of her eyes, stretching from her scalp to her jaw. She wasn’t a fan of black make up, but it was customary for a warrior to wear for formal occasions and battle. Lexa adjusted her braids only slightly, and then she walked into the main room.

“ _Heda_ will be here soon, Lexa. Are you ready to speak with her?” Lexa’s mother asked. She pinned her daughter with a cutting gaze.

“I am,” Lexa replied simply. She had been preparing for this meeting for nearly a year, waiting to officially meet the commander to speak about her succession.

“Good. Sit by the fire, get warm. The nights are becoming cold.” Lexa took a seat in one of their plush chairs before the fireplace. Comfortable heat gave a slight blush to her cheeks. Lexa often sat by their fireplace at night, pondering about the earth, the sky. She wasn’t sure she was ready to be a commander, placed at the top of the ground civilization. The commander was meant to protect her people from enemies, especially those at the top of Mount Weather. The world was unsafe, constantly in conflict. Every group of people, from the _Azgeda_ to the _Floukru_ , and all across their land, was fighting for survival. They had been doing it for generations, and it proved successful. But, stable life was almost nonexistent. Lexa knew that, once she became commander, she would strive to give her people the ability to have peace. War was thrilling, but it was also horrendous and exhausting. They deserved better then living on the brink of death.

The door to the hut began to creak open, and Lexa jumped to her feet. Looking to the door, she first saw the long, draping cape attached to a shoulder guard, the telltale sign of the commander. Her hair was blonde, nearly white, and her pale skin was marred with scars, souvenirs from battle. She was dressed in a tight black shirt and black leggings, and various weapons and heavy armor hung from her body. Lexa was taken aback at the ferocity that exuded from the woman. As she crossed the threshold, followed by Orvar, Anya, and another woman and man, Lexa dropped to her knee and bowed her head. She waited a moment, hearing footsteps approach her.

“You may stand, Lexa,” a silky voice said. Lexa lifted her head and looked into the gray eyes of Commander Aditya.

“ _Mounin, Heda_ ,” Lexa greeted, somehow managing to keep her voice even. She kept a straight face, but she let a small smile grace her lips. 

The commander grinned warmly at her before straightening again. “Be at ease, child,” Aditya whispered.

“Please, let us sit,” Lexa’s mother called from the table. Lexa and Aditya made their way to the table, and Lexa turned to the two strangers that stood beside her father. The first, a woman with deep brown skin and glaring eyes, stepped forward to meet Lexa. Her features were rough and majestic, intimidating and inspiring.

“I am Indra,” she said, and Lexa nodded.

“Indra is my most loyal warrior. And this,” Aditya gestured to the man, “is Titus, _fleimkepa_ of the commander.” Titus bowed his head for a moment. Lexa returned the greeting, and they finally sat down. Aditya was seated at the head of the table, with Lexa opposite her. Her parents surrounded her, then Anya, and the commander’s companions flanked the grand woman. As usual, silence ensued, but for the passing of plates and the sounds of food being consumed. Lexa’s nerves still wracked her mind, but she kept herself collected. _This is not the time to show weakness, Lexa_ , she thought.

“I hear from Anya that you are a hard worker,” Aditya commented. “That will come in handy in the capitol.”

“The capitol?” Lexa nearly gasped.

“Yes. I want you to travel with me to Polis to continue your training. You will study under Indra and me as to prepare for your rise as the next _heda_.” The table was silent for a moment. Lexa’s eyes widened in excitement, and her heart raced.

“When would you be leaving?” Orvar asked. He couldn’t help but let pride show through his voice.

“We would depart tomorrow at midday. The journey only takes four days by horse, and we would stop in villages on the way,” Indra explained. Her voice was gruff, but still somehow encouraging. 

“It is settled then,” Lexa’s mother breathed, barely containing her excitement. Dinner was soon finished, and Lexa’s smile still remained on her face. The commander and her entourage were staying in their travel tents in the center of the village, so they left early to make final preparations.

Before leaving, Anya turned to Lexa. “I am so very proud of you, _striksis_.” Lexa beamed at the term of endearment, one the girl’s mentor rarely used. She saw such love in brown eyes, love that only a mentor had for her trusted second.

“Thank you, Anya _sis_ ,” Lexa said, bowing her head. Anya placed a hand on the girl’s brown braids and left, bidding farewell to Orvar and his wife.

“You should go to bed, Lexa,” Orvar said, stifling a yawn. “You’ll have an eventful day tomorrow.”

Lexa started back to her room. “That I will,” she mumbled before collapsing onto her bed in a flurry of excitement and exhaustion.

 

She dreamed of shouts and cries, confusion and panic. She was small, surrounded by tall people and commotion. A great metal beast rose before her, smoke billowing from its wings. The smog was thick, even in her imagination, and it filled her lungs. She choked and gasped for air. Then, she was shaking so violently that even the breaths she tried to take were worthless. The shaking never ceased.

Not even when she woke up.

Her father stood above her, panic in his usually calm eyes. She couldn’t hear his words at first, as she was still in her dream-like state. Soon, though, she reached earth only to find that she had never truly left her imagination. Screams rang from outside of her hut, and black smoke was making its way into the room.

“ _Leksa! Gyon yu op!_ ” Orvar yelled. He pulled Lexa out of her bed and began handing her a weapon belt and daggers. In a daze, she put them around her waist. “There has been an attack. You need to fight your way out of the village and into the woods. Find the commander. She should be there in safety.”

“What about you?” Lexa whined.

“Take your bow and my sword.” Orvar handed her the bow and quiver and attached the sheath of the sword to Lexa’s belt. He looked at his daughter, glassy green eyes staring at Lexa. “ _Mebi oso na hit coda op nodotaim._ ” He moved around Lexa to the back door, the one only for emergencies, and pulled it open for his daughter. Thrusted into the commotion of the night, Lexa was suddenly disoriented beyond belief. Thoughts ran through her head at the speed of light, and she couldn’t focus on one thing. _Heda Aditya, Anya, Costia, the woods._ On her final thought, she set out at a run. Flames lit her path as she sprinted around destroyed buildings and dead bodies. 

She was almost to her destination, the house of her friend, when a warrior jumped in front of her. His face was a horrendous mix of white paint and blood, the sign of _Azgeda_. The warrior took a swipe at her with his spear, but adrenaline sent Lexa into action. She dodged his attack and spun around swiftly. Sword now drawn, she followed Anya’s teachings, aiming for his weakest spots. His neck was open, and she thrust her arm forward while swinging. The attack was aggressive, but she didn’t have time to waste on a long battle. Thankfully, her blade made contact with flesh and stuck in deep. She closed her eyes as the warrior fell to the ground, limbs stiff. Lexa pulled the sword from his neck and tried not to shudder.

The assailants were pressing in, closer to the center of the village, and this left an opening for Lexa to escape. She was nearly to the outside of the village, away from the fighting that had moved inward. She just needed to reach Costia, and then the two of them could run to safety. Lexa continued on, feet pounding on hard ground. She stopped abruptly when she saw orange. Costia’s house was engulfed in flames, hot and menacing.

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. Denial worked its way into her mind, but it was clouded by the sight before her, the truth that it held. “Costia! No! Costia!” Lexa yelled and screamed at the flames, and she didn’t notice the footsteps behind her.

The sudden impact had Lexa reaching for her sword once again. Her body stiffened, and she turned abruptly upon regaining her footing. Shadows danced on the figure that lay on the ground, reeling from the collision. “Clarke?” Lexa sobbed upon seeing the girl’s blue eyes shimmer in the light.

“Lexa, come on,” Clarke said, standing up, unfazed. “We have to get out of here.”

“I can’t leave her. I can’t leave Costia.”

Clarke’s eyes flicked to the blazing hut. “You can’t do anything for her now. I’m sorry, but we have to go.” Lexa couldn’t move. She was paralyzed by the sudden loss that had consumed her in a matter of minutes. “Lexa,” Clarke cried, grabbing her arm and pulling. She nearly dragged Lexa into the beginnings of the brush, until the flames were out of sight. Only then could Lexa move on her own. They stumbled through the forest, the last bit of adrenaline pushing them further. Their footfalls were silent, but each was aware of the other’s presence only inches away as they went. Drawing nearer to the lake, Lexa could make out a shadowed figure, then another. She slowed until Clarke noticed and followed suit, taking cover behind a thick patch of trees.

“I can’t tell if they are our people,” Lexa whispered, squinting to see the figures in the night. There were five of them on the far side of the lake, and they were huddled close.

“They don’t have a fire lit. They must be hiding,” Clarke replied. “Let’s go to them.” The blonde took a step forward, and Lexa grabbed her roughly by the arm.

“No, they could be _Azgeda_ ,” she hissed. Lexa gave Clarke a pointed look, one that matched the determination in her companion’s eyes.

“We can’t just stay here!” Clarke insisted. She took a step once again, and Lexa pulled her back, more forcefully this time. She didn’t say anything more, just dragged Clarke away from the lake and deeper into the forest.

“I know a place we can hide for the night. A cave,” she explained. “Just follow me and don’t do anything stupid.” Clarke opened her mouth to object, but closed it once again. Within moments, the two girls reached a stone ledge. Lexa paused where the ledge dropped ten feet. “We need to climb down. Watch your grip, and copy my every move.” She sat on the edge and twisted so that she could place her feet in the crevices of the stone. It was a descent that she had made many times before, even sometimes with Costia, and the climb that night was fairly methodical. After she moved a few feet down, she looked up to find Clarke following slowly. Lexa continued until she got to the bottom, where she waited for her companion.

Clarke was nearly down, almost four feet from the ground, when a crevice crumbled beneath her grip. “Clarke!” Lexa shouted, her heart thudding in her chest. Clarke struggled to find another hold and keep her balance, but she stayed up. She finished the descent even slower than before, her limbs visibly shaking.

“What?” Clarke scoffed. “Did you really think I was going to fall?” Nonchalance danced in her voice, an attempt to keep her pride intact. But, fear and exhaustion were plastered on her face. Lexa only sighed and rolled her eyes.

“The cave is over here,” she said, continuing past Clarke and to a crevice in the stone. The hole was just wide enough for Lexa to squeeze comfortably through. Clarke followed, and they both sat on the cold stone ground. The cave was small but room enough for the two to each have their own space. Silence surrounded them, thick and uncomfortable. Lexa shuddered. The screams from the village were too far to hear, but they rang between Lexa’s ears. Images of corpses and flames flashed before her eyes, and before she knew it, she was in a trance.

“How did you know it was _Azgeda_?” Clarke asked suddenly. Lexa was startled from her musings, and she shook her head just slightly.

A few moments passed of nothing, then, “I killed one of them.” Lexa’s confession took the air out of her lungs, and heartache washed over both of them. Most warriors gained their first kill at the age of eighteen, when they were sent to battle. Lexa’s first came two years too early, and both of them knew it.

And before she even realized, Lexa was crying. Tears dripped from her face, silent at first. Clarke shifted from the opposite side of the cave and crawled to Lexa, wrapping her arms around the girl’s shoulders. Lexa leaned into the embrace, laying her head on Clarke’s shoulder and sobbing. Her cries were audible now, and she shook. The loss hit her like a great wave, drowning her. She cried for Costia, her body lost to flames; she cried for her father, who had sent her away to protect her; her mother, who she hadn’t even said goodbye to. She cried for the life she had taken, and all that came with the burden of murder.

“You are so brave,” Clarke murmured into Lexa’s braids. “ _Yu ron ai jova in._ ”

Lexa cried until she fell asleep in Clarke’s arms, and even then tears slipped from her eyes.

 

A beam of sunlight warmed Lexa’s face, and she shivered. Her limbs were cold, but her back was warm, as Clarke was still wrapped around her. She unraveled herself from their embrace, careful not the wake the girl. Golden hair was splayed across the ground, and her cheeks were red with tears that were silent against Lexa’s sobs. A memory filled Lexa’s mind then, one of a small girl with yellow curls and tear-stained blue eyes. She watched Clarke as flashes of the girl filled her subconscious, until her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a horn. The horn bellowed once, then paused a few moments, and once again. Clarke shot up, looking at Lexa with questioning eyes. Then, a third tone, and silence.

“It is the commander’s horn,” Lexa said. “There must be survivors.” Lexa hurried out of the crevice with Clarke on her heels. They scurried up the rock and to the woods, following the sound of another tone from the horn. Sprinting, they reached the source of the sound, a small group of survivors at the lake. Lexa spotted Indra and Titus, but the commander was nowhere in sight.

Lexa and Clarke walked to the commander’s assistants and nodded to them. “Where is _Heda_? Are you keeping her hidden?” Lexa asked. Indra glanced to Titus for a brief moment. Blood trickled down the woman’s neck, and she was leaning more on her right leg.

“The commander is dead. She was caught in a battle, doing her best to save her people, but she was overtaken,” Indra explained solemnly. Lexa’s jaw dropped, and Clarke stiffened beside her. “You are now our leader.”

Lexa breathed, trying to keep her composure. Her insides melted, and she felt dizzy. Staying upright was her main goal. After letting the shock pass, she nodded sharply, then turned away to survey the rest of the survivors. There were at least six of them, all wounded. Neither her parents nor Clarke’s were to be seen, and Anya was missing. “Are these all of the survivors?” She asked. Titus nodded. Lexa deliberated for a moment, trying to gather her bearings and figure out a plan. She didn’t know how she could handle the responsibility, but she had no choice. “We will take them to Polis. We leave within the hour.” The two nodded and briskly walked away. Lexa made her way to the bank of the lake, and Clarke followed.

“Are you okay?” Clarke asked.

“No,” Lexa breathed, “but I have to be.”

 

*          *          *          *

 

Lexa’s enormous bed shook as a body was thrown onto its surface. She tore off her coat, kicked off her boots, and lowered herself onto the girl before her, hungrily meeting their lips in a kiss. Greedy hands tugged on tight shirts, and much fumbling on Lexa’s part was done to try and tear away the fabric, to reveal what she longed to see beneath. The sound of seams ripping fell on deaf ears as she worked the fabric up soft skin.

“Lexa,” Clarke laughed, “I have only been gone for two weeks.” She put her hands on Lexa’s chest, winced longingly when she felt toned muscles beneath fabric.

Lexa paused for a moment, breaths heavy, and smiled. “Two weeks without seeing you feels like an eternity.”

“Then maybe you should not have made me your top general,” Clarke teased. Lexa pressed a chaste kiss to Clarke’s lips, then one on the corner of her mouth. She moved lower slowly, taking her time on Clarke’s neck and collar bones.

“Perhaps I should let you focus on your job then,” Lexa said between kisses. “Perhaps you should spend every waking moment with your troops, training for battle.” She brought her thigh to Clarke’s core, pressing hard. “Would you prefer that?” she whispered against Clarke’s jaw. Clarke moaned, and Lexa laughed breathily. Clarke entwined a hand in Lexa’s hair and pulled lips to lips in a kiss that shook Lexa to her core. Sitting up, Clarke pulled off her shirt and her bindings underneath, and Lexa marveled at the sight of Clarke. The girl never ceased to make the commander’s insides melt. Lexa’s tunic was removed, and leggings were stripped off miraculously quickly.

Lexa once again kissed her way down Clarke’s body, stopping at the base of her ribcage. She nipped and sucked, and she loved the way Clarke’s back arched at the feeling. Then, she slowly moved back up to Clarke’s ear, nibbling on it before whispering, “This is a good way to celebrate your eighteenth year, is it not?” as she snaked a hand between them to cup Clarke’s sex.

“Yes,” Clarke hissed, biting her lip, never taking her eyes off of Lexa. She bucked her hips against Lexa’s hand. “ _Beja, Leksa_.” Biting back a smile, Lexa swiftly thrust two fingers into Clarke, watching as the girl let out a soft groan and slammed her eyes shut. With each rhythmic move, Clarke began to come apart beneath Lexa until she fell over the edge. Lexa’s back stung as Clarke’s nails dug in, but she didn’t mind. She reveled in the look of bliss on her lover’s face, the way they were wrapped tightly around one another.

Clarke’s moans subsided, and Lexa moved to cradle the girl, stroking her hair softly. Clarke smiled at her. She moved her hand around Lexa’s thigh, up and over her back and hips, tracing every curve before engulfing Lexa in a hungry kiss. Lexa began to slip away and into her lover’s touch and promises of ecstasy, but she stopped. The night was about Clarke. She once again trapped Clarke under her body, and she moved lower with her mouth, tracing hip bones with soft lips. The girl went rigid, though, realizing Lexa’s plans. She pulled Lexa up and sat so that she could gain leverage. They played this game often, on nights of raw passion. Lexa’s natural instinct to protect and care drove her to focus on Clarke alone; Clarke, in turn, enjoyed control. She twisted swiftly so she now kneeled above Lexa, straddling the girl below her. Lexa slowly sat up as her face pressed close to Clarke’s.

“Do you enjoy being above your _heda_ , Clarke?” Lexa smirked.

“Very much so,” Clarke replied, putting her hands on Lexa’s shoulders, pushing her back to the mattress. Clarke didn’t draw things out, she didn’t waste time. Her mouth found its way to its location directly, and Lexa hissed as Clarke’s breath met her center.

“ _Clarke_.”

 

“I love you,” Lexa whispered. Clarke’s eyes fluttered open as much as they could, fighting pure exhaustion. It was Clarke at times like these, where she was soft and vulnerable, that truly made Lexa’s heart swell. In the flickering candlelight, Clarke looked like a goddess. Her golden hair was messy, and her skin glowed radiantly. A perpetual smile was set on her face.

“ _Ai hod yu in seinteim_ ,” Clarke answered, drowsiness slipping into her voice.

Lexa stroked her lover’s hair until they both fell asleep.

Morning came all too quickly, and morning brought exhausting duties of the day. Lexa opened her eyes slowly, the sounds of Polis heard even at the top of her tower in the center of her city. She reached for Clarke instinctively. Ever since she had appointed Clarke as a top general, which she was reluctant to do, given her age, she worried for the girl’s safety. There hadn’t been a war in years, not since Lexa’s establishment of the coalition, but she still worried about Clarke.

Clarke stirred beneath Lexa’s touch. The blonde rolled over and opened her eyes, blue orbs settling on green with a light smile. She kissed Lexa softly, and their chests pressed together, hearts racing in time with one another. Too soon, Lexa pulled back.

“I must get up,” she whispered, and Clarke’s face fell.

“Why?” Clarke whined. She nudged Lexa’s leg with her knee. “What could you possibly have to do today that is more important than spending time with me?”

“Nothing, but I am still the commander, and meetings await me,” Lexa replied softly.

“But I have just come back from war,” Clarke murmured as she stroked her foot up and down Lexa’s smooth leg. “It is only fair that you spend the day in bed with me.” Clarke smiled devilishly, and Lexa almost conceded. Instead, she kissed the grin from her lover’s lips before rolling onto her back.

“You were on a routine check of the villages, Clarke. I would hardly consider that war.” Even as she said the words, Lexa could not help but remember the worry that wracked her thoughts each night that Clarke was away.

“ _Beja_ , my love. Stay with me.”

Lexa sighed. “I wish I could. I have a meeting with the ambassadors of the twelve clans this morning, and that is something I cannot miss. _Azgeda_ is pressing too far into _Trikru_ lands, and that is something I cannot have.”

“Queen Nia needs to learn her place,” Clarke hissed.

“She never will. Unfortunately, there is no way to dethrone her without retaliation, not until I can assure that the other clans will stand behind me.”

“I am sure they will,” Clarke offered. “Even if they don’t, you have far greater power than Nia will ever have. There has to be a way to get rid of her.”

“Until I find a way, I must bear her without antagonizing her too much.” Lexa shook her head, staring at the ceiling. Clarke wrapped a leg around Lexa’s hip, placing a steady hand on her heart. “I fear that she will one day threaten the coalition. If she challenges my leadership, I must prove that I am worthy.”

“That should not be hard. You have already proven great strength with the many battles you have fought and won, and you united the twelve clans,” the blonde said. Lexa only nodded. She kissed the top of Clarke’s head before moving out of their embrace. She shivered slightly when cold air hit her naked body. She moved to the fireplace, gathering hot coals, and placed them under the wash basin in their room. Then, she filled the metal tub with water from the spout, pumping the handle that protruded from the wall. The whole time, she was aware of Clarke’s eyes on her, and she smirked.

“Would you like me to bathe with you?” Clarke asked hopefully.

“No, because then I would certainly never leave, and no work would be done.” Clarke grumbled her discontent, and Lexa only smiled more. “Go back to sleep, and come visit me in the throne room when it is over.” With that, Lexa got in the tub, quickly cleaning herself. She pulled her hair out of her now messy braids, running soap through the brown locks and rinsing. She got out and wrapped a towel around herself.

“At least let me braid your hair before you go,” Clarke sighed. Lexa nodded and sat on the edge of the bed nearest Clarke. She loved the way the girl’s fingers weaved through her hair, delicately braiding intricate designs. Clarke had always been artistic, even with hair as her medium. When she was finished, she laid back in bed, and Lexa pressed a kiss to her forehead. She pulled on her official outfit, a tight black shirt, black leggings, and her floor-length coat, and left for the throne room.

 

“It is not open for discussion. _Azgeda_ may only stay within the bounds of their territory.” Lexa’s voice was hard as she spoke to the Ice Nation’s delegate, hoping that her tone would finally bring respect from the man. He was especially hard to deal with, as his allegiance was more with his queen than with his commander.

“We were not seeking conflict, only mobilizing our troops for practice. It was not our intention to tread on _Trikru_ soil,” the ambassador replied. His bored tone only infuriated Lexa more, and she waved her hand.

“There should be no need for your troops to be practicing,” Lexa hissed. “Let us move on.” The _Azgeda_ ambassador sat down, a look of disgust on his face.

“What of the mountain?” the ambassador of the Delphi clan asked. The others in the room mumbled at the question, all curious as to the state of affairs with their oppressors.

“We have received no threats from the Mountain Men in months. It seems as though we do not have to worry about them for a time,” Lexa answered. She knew more questions were to follow, but she tried to put them off as best she could. “We still do not have the ability to fight them ourselves. We outnumber them, but their technologies are far too great.”

“Must we always live our lives in fear of the mountain?” another ambassador inquired. “Must we always watch as they steal our people away from us?”

“We cannot match them, and therefore we cannot chance starting a battle with them. That is final,” Lexa declared. She exhaled softly, and then adjourned the meeting. Clan gatherings always exhausted her, and the ambassadors did nothing but infuriate her and question her decisions. She was only trying to do the best for all her people, and, based on their state of current peace, she seemed to be doing a good job of it.

A few moments after the delegates left, Clarke entered the throne room. Lexa couldn’t mask her relief, and within seconds she was sending her guards out the door. She sat casually on her throne, arms placed on the arm rests, still looking regal from her meeting. Clarke gazed longingly for a moment before bowing to Lexa, then ascending the steps to the throne. She climbed on Lexa’s lap, a knee on either side of the girl’s legs, and pulled Lexa into a deep kiss.

“How was the meeting?” Clarke asked.

“Horrible,” Lexa mumbled, pulling the hem of Clarke’s shirt down so she could kiss the tops of her breasts.

Clarke pulled away. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” Clarke only nodded and allowed Lexa to continue. With each kiss, Lexa could feel the tension being released from her shoulders. The small moans from Clarke as she nipped at sensitive skin only added to her reprieve from the morning’s events, and suddenly she had her hands firmly on Clarke’s ass, pulling their bodies closer. Clarke threaded her hands through Lexa’s wavy brown hair, careful not to mess up the braids she had worked on only hours before.

The door began to creak open, and Lexa stopped kissing Clarke, shifting so she could see who was entering. Clarke awkwardly moved to leave Lexa’s lap, but, upon finding that it was only Indra, Lexa kept her in place with fingers pressing firmly into hips. Indra saw the two and only rolled her eyes. Lexa always tried to keep her personal affairs separate from the affairs of state. But, Clarke was impossible to resist, and with Indra always around, it was hard to keep the warrior from seeing affections between the two.

With a final, deep kiss, Lexa pulled apart from Clarke and nodded, silently prompting her to move from Lexa’s lap. Clarke did so but winced at the loss of contact. She stood beside the throne and straightened up, the way she did around her warriors. Lexa looked to her love with pride and couldn’t help but lightly run her fingers up the girl’s thigh.

“What is it, Indra?” Lexa asked, her voice void of emotion. She wished for the conversation to be over quickly, so that she and Clarke could resume.

“I must speak to you alone, _Heda,_ ” Indra answered. A low growl arose from Clarke’s throat, but she nodded. Lexa pressed her fingers firmly into Clarke’s thigh once more, and then the blonde descended the steps and left the room. “There has been an incident.” Lexa immediately stiffened, thinking of the worst.

“Of what kind?” she prompted.

“An object seems to have fallen from the sky, made of metal. From what our scouts can see, there are people that have come from it. They have made a camp at the sight of the landing, about a day’s ride from TonDC,” Indra explained. The commander’s heart skipped a beat for a moment.

“People, of the sky?” she said, astonished. Of course she had known that the legends of the Sky People were real, especially after she had witnessed one fall to earth not far from her home as a child. Even still, the thought was both amazing and terrifying. “How many do you suppose are there?”

“The scouts counted one hundred.”

“I see,” Lexa hummed. “Do they have weapons?”

“Not as far as we can see. They are resourceful, though,” Indra replied. “What are we to do?”

Lexa thought for a moment. “Leave them be for now. I will want to make contact with them, especially if they pose a threat. I must speak with Clarke first, as this matter concerns her more than even she knows.” Indra nodded and left, and Clarke entered immediately.

“What did Indra have to say?” Clarke asked, furrowing her brow. Lexa rose slowly from the throne and moved toward Clarke, keeping a safe distance away.

“Clarke,” she said softly, “do you remember who your parents were?”

“Yes, Grimeon and Alinda,” Clarke answered, swallowing visibly. She and Lexa rarely talked about those they had lost in the attack so many years before, and the emotions were still there. Clarke sometimes cried softly in her sleep, and Lexa held her tightly until she stopped. Lexa hadn’t cried since the night of the attack. It was as though she had run out of tears in the dark of the cave.

“I mean before them. Do you remember any kind of life before your life in the village?”

Clarke raised an eyebrow. “Why exactly are you asking me?”

“Answer the question, Clarke,” Lexa sighed, rubbing her forehead with her hand. Clarke reached out and gingerly touched her arm.

“No, I only remember the village. I was born and raised there, was I not?” Confusion flashed in Clarke’s blue eyes, and Lexa felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She took a steadying breath, then motioned for them to sit in two chairs off to the side of the throne.

“You are not from here,” Lexa began after they had sat down. “When you were a baby, only three years old, you fell from the sky in a metal vessel. We had not known that there truly were people in the sky, we only had heard legends from the elders.”

“I have heard those stories. But they are only tales. How could I be one of them? How could you know?” Clarke’s voice began to rise with panic, and Lexa took her hand to calm her.

“I was five years old when this occurred. Anya had just become my mentor on the evening of your arrival. She took me to the site of the crash, and I helped her find you. We were the ones who discovered you in the vessel. We found you a home with Grimeon. You were only a child, Clarke, a lost baby with tears in your eyes. You had a necklace on you that had a tag, and the name Clarke Griffin was imprinted on it in English.”

“English?” Clarke nearly gasped. She reached absently for her neck as though she would find a necklace there now. Lexa’s heart broke at the lost look in Clarke’s eyes, the same look she had seen on the child they found. “This cannot be possible.”

“It is true. When we found you, you had a gash on your head. I suppose you have no memory of anything before then, as you had hit your head in the landing,” Lexa explained. Clarke looked absently over Lexa’s shoulder, obviously in pain. Her brow was furrowed, and she began to slowly shake her head.

“I am not _Trikru_?” Clarke whispered. Lexa immediately placed a soft hand on Clarke’s cheek.

“Do not say that, Clarke. Of course, you are _Trikru_. _Trikru_ is in your heart, not your veins.” Clarke’s expression didn’t change, so Lexa pressed on. “You are one of the greatest warriors I know, perhaps even better than me. I love you more than anything. Nothing has changed, and nothing ever will.” Lexa raised Clarke’s hand to her lips and kissed her palm, working her way to her wrist, her veins, up her muscular arm and shoulder. She took her time, comforting Clarke, allowing her time to think through the information that had been given to her. When she got to Clarke’s neck, she paused there, lips resting on her pulse point. Clarke exhaled.

“What does this have to do with Indra’s news?” she asked quietly. Lexa removed her lips and sat up straight again.

“People have arrived from the sky.” Clarke stilled once more, and her pained look hurt Lexa. She got up and moved back to her throne, feeling even more drained than before. The thought of Clarke so emotionally hurt shattered her inside, and she felt as though she had caused great pain to the girl she loved. Clarke still thought pensively for a few minutes, and the silence in the room was unsettling. It wasn't until Clarke stood slowly from her chair that Lexa breathed again. “I have told Indra to leave the sky people alone until they pose a threat. But, if you want to contact them—”

“I don’t,” Clarke said dryly, moving to stand directly in front of the throne.

“What do you want to do, then?” Lexa asked, her voice edged with concern.

Once again, Clarke moved slowly to the seat of the throne, climbing on top of Lexa’s lap and straddling her. She placed Lexa’s tentative hands on her hips and a chaste kiss to the corner of Lexa’s mouth. “I want to forget.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written before 3x03 and 3x04, so the whole commander choosing thing is really inaccurate.  
> Translations:  
> Leksa! Hos houm raun!--Lexa! Hurry home!  
> Leksa! Nau!--Lexa! Now!  
> Nomon--mother  
> sis--sister  
> striksis--little sister  
> Azgeda--ice nation  
> Floukru--boat people  
> Chil yu daun--stand down  
> Heda--commander  
> Mochof--thank you  
> Mounin--welcome  
> fleimkepa--trusted advisor  
> niron--loved one  
> gyon yu op--get up  
> Mebi oso na hit coda op nodotaim--may we meet again  
> yu ron ai jova in—you give me courage  
> Beja—please  
> Ai hod yu in seinteim—i love you too


	2. The Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Clarke struggles with the new truth she faces, Lexa must contend with her greatest enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised :)

Lexa watched as the mock battle carried on before her. Blonde braids were flying as Clarke expertly dodged attack after attack, keeping in time with the rhythm of her opponent. She couldn’t help herself but admire the beauty of her lover, the fluidness of her fighting, the definition of her muscles under duress. Lexa bit her lip, knowing that she was staring much too intently. But, wow, was Clarke stunning. Even when Aden, Lexa’s most promising Nightblood, made intelligent advances on Clarke, the seasoned warrior countered him with ease. Lexa knew that Clarke was barely fighting her hardest, but the effort seemed almost excessive, and she had a feeling something below the surface was driving this.

“Good, Aden,” Lexa called as he took a swipe at Clarke with his practice pole. That time, she had faltered and couldn’t block his advance. When his stick made contact with her arm, she growled, but kept fighting. At that point, Lexa decided to stop the battle, placing a pole between the two. “That is enough. You put in great effort, Aden, and it is time for you to rest.” She looked around to the other Nightbloods for a moment, pride showing through the slight upturn of her lips. “Training will resume in five minutes, and someone else will have a chance to challenge the great warrior Clarke.” The children cheered and ran to the watering well to replenish before training continued.

Clarke strolled to Lexa, chest heaving. “Aden is an amazing fighter, _Heda._ Soon I fear he will be able to best me in combat.” Lexa tried to ignore the flutter she felt in her stomach, the one she noticed every time Clarke called her by her title. She nodded, keeping with her impassiveness.

“Yes, he is a strong-willed boy, much like someone else that I know,” Lexa replied. With a small smirk, she began to walk towards the overlook of Polis next to the Nightblood training ground, and she motioned for Clarke to follow. From there, all of Polis was visible, and Lexa reveled in the way her city looked, full of life and people. She turned to Clarke, looking solemnly in blue eyes that had somehow gone dull in the past two months. “I know what you are doing, Clarke,” she said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Clarke asked.

“As you fight with these young warriors, you are pushing yourself, showing your best skills,” Lexa explained, and for a moment, blue eyes flicked away from her gaze before returning. “You do not have to prove to me, or anyone, that you are a skilled _Trikru_ fighter.”

“I am not trying to prove anything, Lexa. I am simply trying to show the Nightbloods what they may face in the future. It will make them stronger.” Clarke’s voice was steady, and she almost had Lexa convinced. But, the way the blonde shifted her weight back and forth, how she could barely meet Lexa’s gaze, told a different story.

“Are you sure it is not because of your lineage?” Lexa asked calmly. She placed a tender hand on Clarke’s arm, but the girl shrugged away, stiffening. With a hard glare, Clarke turned and met the Nightbloods back at the training ground, beginning another battle with a new child. 

Lexa sighed, tension filling her body. She hadn’t brought up Clarke’s true past since she had first told the girl about her arrival on earth. The subject was so sore, she figured it was best not to antagonize the situation any further. Not much had changed since that day, anyway, only subtle things: Clarke had begun to focus more on training and battle, as if keeping her mind and body occupied was the only way she could handle the revelation; her relationship with Lexa was still firm, only Clarke was more distant on certain days; there were nights where she could be found on the balcony in the dark, staring at the sky. Lexa always got up the nerve to bring up the subject, but the idea of Clarke’s pain resurfacing burned a hole in Lexa’s heart.

A breeze floated through the training ground, and Lexa turned to find Indra stomping towards her, back straight as ever. Her gaze was hard.

“ _Heda,_ I have news about the sky people,” Indra stated. Lexa clenched her jaw, fearing that Clarke would hear. Luckily, the girl was preoccupied with fighting off two Nightbloods at once, a simple task for the warrior. Lexa nodded and moved closer to Indra so the two could speak conspiratorially.

“What of them? Have they found the food you sent to them?”

“ _Sha, Heda, emo don hon osir dina op._ But, they were suspicious of the meal’s origin, and their leader is distrusting of us. I believe our warriors have remained hidden, but the sky people suspect that we are around,” Indra explained. “Why are you aiding in keeping them alive?”

Lexa glanced to Clarke for a fleeting moment, knowing inside why she truly felt the need to protect the new inhabitants of the earth. “Do not question me, Indra,” she snapped. Indra straightened up and nodded brusquely, and Lexa softened. “I would feel guilty if I did not help them.”

“Perhaps you should make contact with their leader.”

“You say he is wary of our presence. Because of this, I fear that they will feel threatened if we make advances, peaceful or not,” Lexa replied. “If the need arises, I will meet with him.” With that, Lexa turned her attentions back to the training. Clarke was battling new opponents as fiercely as ever. Her skin glistened with sweat, and this sight of her made it impossible for Lexa to ignore the ache in her stomach. The sun was setting on the green of the training area, so she called for the fight to cease, dismissing the warriors.

“You all have fought well,” Clarke said, before returning to Lexa’s side. A prideful grin was painted on the blonde’s face, and Lexa inhaled sharply. Thankfully, Indra had gone, and Lexa kissed the expression off of Clarke, pulling her tightly and making both of their knees quake.

“Perhaps tonight we could camp out in the forest,” Lexa suggested, her words breathy against Clarke’s lips. “We could take a break from the city, hunt our own food, swim in the river. Would you enjoy that?”

“Yes.” Clarke nodded, and then took Lexa by the hand, leading her down the path towards the city. “I need to gather my bow, and then we will go.”

 

“Lexa, _hod op_. A beautiful deer,” Clarke said, tugging on Lexa’s hand and willing her to stop. They crouched down as Lexa spotted the animal Clarke was referring to. It was a large male deer, with antlers that grew long into the sky. It didn’t even have deformities, something that was rare among the forest animals.

“Who will take the kill?” Lexa whispered. A mischievous smile grew on the blonde’s face.

“We will have a competition. Whomever can shoot it first.” Lexa shook her head at Clarke’s antics, but smiled all the same.

“Fine,” Lexa agreed, looking back to find the stag grazing at the brush. “Now?”

“Now,” Clarke affirmed, and then they both took off at a silent sprint. Lexa kept her body low, as to not startle her prey. Tall trees stretched high in the air, giving a perfect vantage point to see the stag, and Lexa found the best one to climb. She scrambled up, hoping to beat Clarke, an extremely avid climber. As soon as she had a good sight on the majestic beast, Lexa pulled an arrow from her quiver and took aim. Even before she was prepared to shoot, the deer fell to the ground. Lexa growled silently before discarding her arrow and climbing back down the tree.

She made it to the kill first, finding the arrow with Clarke’s signature blue feather embedded in the deer’s chest. Some things never changed.

“It seems I’ve beat you at this game once again, Commander.” Lexa whirled on Clarke, finding a smug smile and bright blue eyes.

“Be careful, Clarke. Your pride may get you in trouble later,” the commander replied lowly.

“Later?” Clarke asked, her eyebrows raising mockingly. “Is that a threat or a promise?”

“Perhaps I won’t let you sleep inside the tent tonight,” Lexa fired back. “I’ll leave you to the mercy of the forest.”

Clarke kneeled to prepare the deer for when they would carry him back to the camp, and she muttered, “You would miss me too much.” Lexa kneeled beside her, pressing a light kiss to the blonde’s cheek before tying the legs of the deer with rope.

“You are right, _hodnes_. I never want to spend a night without you unless I have to. It pains me when you leave.”

“Because of you, Lexa, I do not have to leave often now that we are in a time of peace,” Clarke said, pride in her silky voice.

“I fear that, soon, that will not be the case,” Lexa sighed.

“What do you mean?” Clarke asked, her brow creasing. She stood, hoisting the deer onto her back, and Lexa followed. They started on their way back to the camp they had made near the bank of the river, a few minutes walk from Polis.

“The _Azgeda_ ambassador has been extremely difficult as of late, and I fear that the Delphi clan will align themselves with Nia. She constantly disagrees with me, or her ambassador does, and they press against their borders far too often for my liking,” the commander explained. “Soon, I will have to confront her.”

“If Nia knows what is good for herself,” Clarke growled, “she will know to follow you. She should not try and wage a war with _Trikru_.”

“Let us not think about her now, Clarke,” Lexa said, taking Clarke’s hand in hers. They made their way to camp in sweet silence.

 

The deer was prepared for dinner, and Clarke and Lexa ate some of it, saving the rest for the morning and to take to the tower in Polis. Night fell quickly, and the sounds of the forest in the dark reached them and pleasantly kept them company. Glowing moss grew under their feet and illuminated the night. They retired to their tent, where rough kisses and roaming hands drew out gasps and moans that mixed with the music of the forest.

Clarke’s head rested on Lexa’s still heaving chest, where she dropped tender kisses to salty skin. Lexa’s heart swelled with the feeling that her blonde lover gave her. No one understood Lexa better than Clarke, no one had lost as much as she had, and no one had loved her quite as much. She trusted Clarke with everything she had, all her fears and wars she waged in her own head. Clarke was her most valuable advisor, the one who stood beside her as they battled for the beginnings of the Coalition between the clans.

“Sometimes,” Lexa whispered, “I think that maybe you should have been commander, and not I.”

“Oh, Lexa,” Clarke began, lifting her head to look into the brunette’s eyes. “You are a strong warrior, possibly even stronger than I am. Your intelligence knows no bounds, as does your desire for peace. However, you are not weak. The price of peace is great, and you understand that. You are a visionary, my love. No one is better fit to be commander than you are. Not even me.” Lexa’s gaze fell past Clarke, away from sincere blue eyes.

“It still scares me. I try my best to be so sure of myself, but I have my doubts. I always have my doubts.”

Clarke kissed Lexa chastely. “You are brilliant,” she whispered. Her lips dropped to Lexa’s pulse point. “You are beautiful.” She moved her lips lower, just beneath Lexa’s collarbone. “ _Yu laik Heda. Ste yuj, hodnes._ ”

 

Morning came too quickly, and it was shortened even by the sound of a horse galloping violently towards the camp. Lexa awoke from her light sleep and immediately pulled on her shirt and leggings, shaking Clarke and bidding her to do the same. None of her guards would dare enter her tent without warning, but she didn’t want to risk it happening anyway. Stepping outside the small tent, chilled morning air hit her skin, and she bit back a shiver. She longed to stay in the warmth of Clarke’s arms and the furs of their travel cot. The sky was still dark, and she could barely see two brown horses striding towards her in the pre-dawn lighting.

“Apologies, _Heda_ , but you are needed back in Polis immediately,” a young soldier said, pulling his horse and the other, without a rider, to stand directly before his commander.

“What has occurred?” Lexa asked, her voice hard and void of the worry she felt rapidly building in the pit of her stomach. Clarke exited the tent behind her and stood close enough that Lexa could feel her warmth. Lexa ached to wrap her arms around the blonde warrior, but she remained stiff.

“ _Haiplana kom Azgeda_ rides on Polis. She brings with her two dozen men.” A low growl rose in Lexa’s throat upon hearing the title of her foe. “She will arrive at dawn.”

“Clear the camp for us,” Lexa commanded. “Do not forget the deer we have strung up. Give the rest of the meat to those who cannot afford it.” Lexa took the reigns of the vacant horse from the soldier and mounted the animal, holding a hand for Clarke to sit in front of her. Together, they rode to Polis, making it through the gates under the cover of night. “I must go to the tower quickly before Nia arrives. Take your finest troops and flank Nia’s men.”

“ _Sha,_ Lexa,” Clarke answered, rushing off towards the edge of the city where strong soldiers stayed, prepared for a hasty attack. Lexa then started on her way to the tower, moving as quickly as the approaching dawn. In just a few minutes, the first sign of light had already crept into the morning sky, dark blue giving way to orange. The lift was drawn up as quickly as possible, and Lexa ordered five guards on the crank instead of the usual two.

Once on her floor, Lexa went to her room. A short bath was drawn, and she bathed as quickly as possible. She dressed in her usual black—black shirt, pants, and flowing coat. The rims of her eyes were darkened with eyeliner, making the deep green orbs look even more pointing and fierce. Stepping onto the terrace outside of her room, she looked down to the front gates of Polis.

There marched a small army, twelve men before a majestic white horse, twelve behind. On the horse was perched a regal woman. Her dark blonde hair was pulled and braided into a crown atop her head, leaving her scarred face clearly visible. Lexa couldn’t see from the tower, but she knew that gray eyes would be narrowed in a scowl. Horns blared around the entourage, announcing the presence of the _Azgeda._

“ _Ai laik Naiya, Haiplana kom Azgeda_ , and I seek counsel with _Heda kom jus_.”

 

“Nia.” The sound was barely above a growl, emanating from deep in the commander’s throat. She sat atop her throne on the platform in the throne room, her ambassadors assembled before her in their respective chairs. Clarke was seated closest to Lexa, and she was flanked by Indra and Titus. Her blue eyes stared at the ice queen with equal parts hatred and barely contained curiosity. “What is it that you wish to achieve by coming to my court? Perhaps explaining why _Azgeda’s_ army crosses the boundary into _Trikru_ territory?”

“I am here to speak of matters with more importance,” Nia ground out. Lexa only nodded her head in response. “As the months have passed, your ignorance of the threat the Mountain Men pose has cost many lives, many valuable _Azgeda_ and _Trikru_ lives, among others.” A collective nod was passed around the ambassadors in the room.

“As I have said many times before, we do not hold the technology to defeat them. We have the numbers to overpower them, but they hold mystic powers that we do not understand,” Lexa explained.

“How much longer can we sit and watch as our sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, are carried away, never to be seen again? We are wasting time, Lexa. We must strike now.”

“No,” Lexa answered simply. Nia turned to two of her warriors, and they stepped angrily towards Lexa. Immediately, Clarke jumped forward, prepared to protect her _heda_.

“If you are not willing to take care of the _Mounon_ , I am prepared to take what power you hold. Do not test me,” Nia bit.

“Do not test _me_!” Lexa yelled, standing from her throne with a flourish. “ _I_ am the leader of this Coalition. My armies fought valiantly to bring you into line, and though you may outnumber only the _Trikru_ , I have behind me the clans of the Coalition.” Lexa moved towards the center of the circle, bringing her face close to that of the older queen. Neither flinched. “If you make one false move, we will lay waste to the Ice Nation.”

Nia simply grinned. “Fine. Your ignorance will bring trouble to your _precious_ Coalition in due time. For now, I move on my own. _Azgeda_ armies can bring down the mountain. I ask no more for your support. However,” she glanced to Clarke who had returned to her seat, but still remained rigid, “I request that you lend to me three platoons of warriors.”

“That can be arranged,” Lexa replied, moving back to her throne.

“I wasn’t finished,” Nia said, her smirk evident in her voice. Lexa froze, her back to the queen. “I wish for your general, _Clarke kom Trikru_ , to lead my efforts.”

Lexa whirled on the queen, the tails of her coat flying behind her in a majestic wave. “You have gone too far, Nia.”

“And why is that? Who better to lead the brave army to fight our great threat than the revered Clarke? Surely you can spare her for a time.”

“I cannot. Clarke is invaluable and must stay by my side,” Lexa snarled.

“You have Indra, another of your powerful and trusted generals. Clarke’s absence can be filled easily. Unless, you have a special reason why she must stay in Polis.” Nia’s voice was taunting, and Lexa locked her jaw tightly. Clarke was her weakness, a necessary weakness, but a weakness nonetheless. Nia was playing her, daring her to show the other ambassadors that she made decisions with her heart. Lexa needed to send Clarke with the Ice Nation, if only to save face before the other clans; but, with Clarke in the clutches of Lexa’s sworn enemy, her blonde love wasn’t safe. There was no telling what Nia would do to Clarke just to hurt Lexa.

“It is all right, _Heda_. I will lead the queen’s army,” Clarke said calmly. Lexa turned to her, her eyes pleading, screaming _don’t do this_.

“It is settled, then,” Nia said, smiling. “General Clarke, gather your forces. We leave in two days time.”

 

 

“You should not have agreed to this, Clarke.” Lexa still stood rigid, anger coursing through her veins.

“Nia was threatening too much. It is a simple task for me, as she said. Do you not trust that I will come back to you safely?” Clarke asked. Lexa turned away from Clarke, unbuttoning her coat and beginning to remove her boots.

“It is Nia that I don’t trust,” Lexa sighed.

“Everything will be fine,” Clark said softly. “I will train with her armies, we will attack the Mountain Men and keep them from threatening us any more, and I will return. It will only take a few months.”

“ _Only_ a few months,” Lexa whined in her best imitation of Clarke’s voice.

“Mockery is not the product of a strong mind, Lexa.” The commander only grumbled in response. “Oh, _shof op_ , and kiss me. We are living with borrowed time, and I’d very much like to _ses yu op_ as much as I can before I go.” Clarke smirked, and Lexa turned, taking the blonde in her arms.

“Perhaps I could refuse to turn you over to Nia, tell her that you could not survive longer than a week without having my hands roam your flesh.”

“I doubt that would change her mind,” Clarke answered quietly.

“It is the truth, though,” Lexa whispered, placing a kiss on Clarke’s neck.

“I will miss you,” Clarke sighed.

“Don’t go,” Lexa commanded softly, running her hands over Clarke’s chest and stomach, slowly to her pants. She pulled off Clarke’s boots and pants, picked her up and carried her to their bed. Her hand quickly found its place between the blonde’s thighs, and she sharply slipped two fingers into Clarke’s center. Clarke gasped and clung to Lexa, clung to her like she would never let even two inches separate them. “Don’t go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sha, Heda, emo don hon osir dina op.--yes, commander, they have found their dinner
> 
> hod op--wait
> 
> Yu laik Heda. Ste yuj, hodnes.--you are commander. Be strong, love.
> 
> Haiplana kom Azgeda--the queen of Ice Nation
> 
> Ai laik Naiya, Haiplana kom Azgeda--I am Nia, queen of Ice Nation
> 
> Heda kom jus--commander of the blood


	3. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke leaves for battle with Nia and Lexa is left to make hard decisions (PS: They have to do with a particular group of individuals who seemed to fall from the sky).

Lexa’s long fingers traced soft lines over the smooth flesh beneath them. She wasn’t particularly artistic, but she had somewhat designed her own bicep tattoo and back tattoo. The pattern on her back was one that payed tribute to those lost in her village: one large circle for the commander; three small circles for her mother, her father, and Costia; and many small lines connecting the three, each line representing a life lost in her village. On Clarke’s skin, she drew with her fingertip small circles and winding lines, spreading all throughout her back and over her shoulders. Lexa gently ran her hand over the scarred skin of raised claw marks, a reminder of Clarke’s run-in with a panther. The two had been hunting, along with many others, before a battle, when the panther sprung on top of the blonde. Clarke had bested the animal, but not before being caught by its sharp claws. The blonde in front of Lexa shivered with the touch and shifted impossibly closer to the commander.

“Why do you not have any tattoos, Clarke?” Lexa asked quietly. Clarke turned to face green eyes.

“I’ve not yet found anything worth imprinting on my skin,” the blonde answered. “Although, I may have a design in mind.”

“Have you drawn it in your sketchbook?” Lexa inquired. Clarke only nodded. “May I see it?” Slowly, Clarke pulled herself from Lexa’s arms and stood from the bed. She strode to the desk that she and the commander shared, pulling her worn sketchbook from one of the drawers only she had access to. Clutching it to her chest, she brought it back to her lover. Lexa had sat up, patiently waiting for Clarke to show her the design.

“It is not perfect. And, it’s not exactly finished.” Clarke turned to the correct page and handed it to Lexa, not meeting her gaze. Upon seeing it, Lexa gasped, and Clarke shifted uncomfortably. “It is too detailed to be a tattoo, but something close to that would be nice.”

“Clarke…” Lexa whispered. The piece was magnificent, done in dark charcoal. It depicted a scene of the night sky, where many stars shone at the top of the page. A strange object was placed in the sky, blocking the view of the stars. It looked mechanical and unnatural, stealing the beauty of nature. Further down the page, a circular body, looking equally as mechanical and outlandish, was falling to the ground in dark flames. Slight lines showed the action of it falling. Below, trees stood, tall and majestic, untouched by the objects in the sky.

“I know I do not remember how I was sent to earth, but this is how I imagine it.”

“This is beautiful, Clarke,” Lexa whispered, still astonished. “And you really want this memory drawn onto your skin, as a reminder forever from whence you came?”

Clarke took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed, finally looking into Lexa’s eyes. “You say that, even though I fell from the sky, I am still _Trikru_ at heart. Sometimes, I believe that is true. On the outside, there is no difference between you and me. On the inside, however, I come from a foreign entity. I wish to be close to where I come from, as do you, as does anyone from any other clan. That is why _Azgedakru_ have such face scars and wear white paint, that is why the Broadleaf clan paint themselves with colors of the rainforest. We all want to be branded with a piece of what we are born with. I want that, too.” She took Lexa’s hand and pulled it into her lap. “For days, weeks, I was angry and scared after you told me of my origin. I wanted to forget where I came from. But, that is no way to live. I am _Trikru_ , however I am also that of the sky. No matter how painful it is to think of the great lengths my birth parents went through to be rid of me, sending their child many miles away from them to the ground, _alone_ , I must never forget.”

“I understand, _hodnes_.”

“You do?” Clarke asked.

“Of course I do. I was born _Trikru_ , and I am proud to know where I come from. The clans are united, but we are still individually proud. We display our place of birth no matter what. You are no different in that,” Lexa offered softly. “Now, let us have this drawing imprinted on you, permanently.”

“Now? But it is late, Lexa,” Clarke said.

“I know a man who will do a tattoo even this late in the evening, and he is very talented, too. We’ve spent all day in this room, and all of yesterday as well, after meeting with Nia. Why not get the tattoo now?” Lexa asked. A small smirk grew on her face. “Are you afraid that it will hurt?”

“The pain will be nothing that I can’t handle.”

“Then you should get the tattoo.”

“Do you think it is wise to get it before I leave for battle?” Clarke asked.

“I do not think it will bother you. And,” Lexa stated, moving to kiss Clarke’s cheek, “it will be a parting gift from me.”

“All right, we will go,” Clarke conceded, pulling on fresh clothes, with Lexa following.

 

Clarke laid on a table covered in furs in the lamplit hut, her shirt and chest bindings removed to reveal the soft skin of her back. The artist Lexa had chosen, Monon, studied Clarke’s drawing.

“An interesting piece. I will do my very best,” he declared. He picked up his sharp pen full of ink, and began his work. Lexa sat beside the table, eye level with her blonde love.

“Are you ready?” Lexa whispered. Clarke nodded. Just as the first mark was made on her back, Clarke hissed, and the commander chuckled.

“It’s not funny,” Clarke grumbled, but couldn’t keep the laugh that rose form her throat.

“Be still, _Wanheda_ ,” Monon commanded gently. Clarke rolled her eyes.

“I hate that title,” Clarke said. She had earned the title of Commander of Death during her days in the battle for the Coalition. She had been only fifteen, but she was fierce. Clarke and her warriors had defeated a rebel army that had aimed to dethrone Lexa. After three long days of fighting, Clarke stood at the top of a bloody rock, holding the head of their leader, a rebel from the Rock Line clan. By Clarke’s hand, each rebel had been put down, and her army sustained minimal casualties.

“You earned it well, Clarke. It holds great respect,” Lexa replied proudly. “The day I saw you stand atop that rock, with your head held high and your men shouting victory cries and praises at your feet, that was the day I knew that I loved you.” Clarke didn't respond, only looked at Lexa with a watery gaze. Lexa could see all the love Clarke held for the commander in her blue eyes, and her heart hurt with longing. She hadn’t spent longer than a few weeks without Clarke since before the Coalition was formed. Clarke had been by her side through everything.

It took a few hours, but Clarke’s tattoo was finished. It looked almost as good as the original drawing, and Lexa marveled at it for many long minutes.

“ _Mochof,_ Monon,” Clarke exclaimed, looking in a long mirror at her new tattoo.

“The work is gorgeous,” Lexa added. “You never fail.” She handed the man a bag of money as Clarke pulled her loose shirt on, and they departed. The night was quiet, even as some food vendors sold their food in low torchlight. Evenings in Polis were some of the most beautiful Lexa had ever seen. “Are you happy?” Lexa asked Clarke.

“I am,” Clarke replied. She took Lexa’s hand for a second, daring to show affection outside the confines of their tower.

“Now you truly are a child of the sky, Clarke.”

Clarke looked at Lexa for a long moment. “ _Ai laik Clarke kom Trikru en Skaikru_.”

“ _Sha_ , and I love you with all my heart, Sky-Girl,” Lexa proclaimed. “ _Trikru o Skaikru_ , I am yours.”

 

*          *          *          *

 

At dawn, three hundred soldiers, comprised of _Trikru_ and _Azgeda_ fighters, stood at the gates of Polis. Horses loaded with supplies were prepared for a long trek north, for the training grounds of the Ice Nation. From there, the large _Azgeda_ armies and skilled _Trikru_ fighters were to take down the mountain, in whatever way Nia saw best. The idea of going up against the Mountain Men still didn’t seem logical, and Lexa decided that she would have to quickly come up with a way to intervene before Nia led her people and her love into a massacre.

“Dawn approaches!” Nia shouted to the warriors. “Let us depart!” With those words, the men began to move out the front gates. The city of Polis fell silent as people watched the army leave with reverent gazes. Some of the men would never return, others would find themselves wounded beyond repair. War was a horrific thing, but it was sometimes necessary.

Lexa took a few steps to where Clarke stood before her golden horse. “It is time, then,” Lexa said softly. She tried to control her voice, as she usually could, but emotion seeped through anyway. Clarke only nodded and held out her hand. Lexa did the same, and they grabbed each other’s forearms in the familiar shake of parting. “Be strong, Clarke.”

“I will be home soon, Lexa. Don’t worry,” Clarke answered, a small smile gracing her lips. With a final nod from Lexa, they let go of each other. Clarke mounted herself on her horse, and, glancing at Lexa one last time, she rode out of the gates. Lexa stood for a few moments, unmoving. Behind her, Indra approached, but she said nothing for a while.

“She will return, _Heda_. Clarke is a great warrior,” Indra offered. Lexa turned and nodded. “Now, I have some important news concerning the Sky People.”

“Let us talk while we go back to the tower.” Lexa began to walk, listening to her advisor’s news.

“Lincoln, a healer from TonDC was captured by these Sky People. He escaped, with the aid of two Sky People. They wish to hold counsel with you,” Indra explained.

“These two Sky People, what do you know of them? Is their leader among them?” Lexa inquired.

“From what I have heard, they are called Octavia and Finn. Their leader is a man called Bellamy, and he is very hostile. The two with Lincoln are wishing for peace with those at TonDC, but Bellamy is distrustful and wishes to slaughter all that they meet.” Lexa stopped, nearly at the tower, and turned to the fierce woman beside her. She had much to think about. Could she form some sort of alliance with the Sky People? Or should she kill them before they had the chance to attack? “These Sky People have weapons, the great bringers of death like the Mountain Men do. They could be very dangerous if they wish to kill us.”

After a few moments, Lexa spoke. “Deliver me the one they call Finn.”

 

TonDC was a little under a day’s ride from Polis, so Lexa sent her fastest horses to retrieve the Sky Person. She waited in her throne room impatiently for hours, trying to find a solution to the issue of the Sky People. If their leader was to attack any of her people, Lexa was bound to retaliate by the tradition of _jus drein jus daun_. It was the way of her people. No commander before her neglected to answer violence with vengeance. But, no commander before her strove for peace or attempted to unite the clans. An alliance with the Sky People could greatly aid her technologically, especially in the fight against the Mountain Men. Their leader was her main concern, but there were ways of taking care of him. Lexa could form an alliance and kill those who acted against her people with menace.

Her mind jumped to Clarke. What would the girl think about an alliance with the Sky People? She seemed to come to terms with her origin being in the sky, but it still seemed sensitive to Lexa. It was one thing to have a tattoo of her arrival on earth; it was another to befriend those who once cast her away. Lexa shook the thoughts from her head. She couldn’t look weak, not because of Clarke. Lexa was already treading a fine line, as many thought her weak by accepting the dissenting _Azgeda_ into her Coalition instead of wiping them out as retribution for their opposition. Making peace with the Sky People had the possibility of a good outcome, and she couldn’t let go of the opportunity, even if it hurt her love. Head over heart.

Finally, as the sun began to set and an orange glow shone through the open windows of the throne room, Indra arrived, leading behind her three strangers: the first, a young man with long, floppy brown hair; the second, a girl with dark hair and wild green eyes; the last, a large _Trikru_ man with muscular arms and swirling tattoos.

“Apologies, _Heda_ , but the boy would not come without Octavia or Lincoln,” Indra growled, shooting a threatening glance towards the boy. Lexa assumed him to be Finn.

Lincoln immediately dropped to a knee and bowed his head. “Greetings, _Heda_. It is an honor to be in your presence.” After a moment, Octavia did the same, and Lexa noticed intricate braids had been woven into the girl’s hair, seemingly by a _Trikru_ stylist. Finn only dropped his head into a deep nod.

“Rise. We have much to discuss,” Lexa stated in _Gonasleng_. English was her second language, as it was for all warriors, but she was well versed in it. “Explain to me how and why you are here.”

“Well, it’s kind of a long story,” Finn began. “Ninety-seven years ago, the world was brought to ruin by nuclear weapons.”

“The Great War, I am aware of this,” Lexa said dully, glaring at Finn. He thought her a fool.

“Right, anyway, people, our ancestors, escaped to space in their space stations, and they all came together to form the Ark. No one was supposed to leave the Ark for another hundred years, but we were sent here for some reason. There are a hundred of us, and we’re all under the age of eighteen, considered juveniles. We’ve all been imprisoned on the Ark for committing various crimes, so the Chancellor of the Ark thought us expendable. We were sent on a dropship and landed on Earth,” the boy explained. His story seemed almost fictional, but Lexa believed him. After witnessing Clarke’s crash-landing on Earth, the story of the Sky People was more than possible.

“And your leader?” Lexa asked. “What of him? Does he know that you are here? Is he willing to speak peaceably with my people?”

“Bellamy is something close to a tyrant. He has a monopoly on the weapons at the dropship and he has four or five goons carrying out his orders. He has everyone convinced that the Ark dumped us here to die and he cut all communications with them,” Finn said. “He’s crazy.”

“Watch it, Finn,” Octavia snapped. “He may be wrong, but he’s still my brother.”

“Your brother?” Lexa inquired. It seemed odd that the girl had shown Lincoln mercy when her own brother seemed to be violent.

“Bellamy was always protective of me. On the Ark, women were only allowed to have one child, and I was the second. They had to keep me hidden. Bellamy is used to protecting me, and he hates the Ark for killing our mother once they found me. He has his reasons for being the way he is,” Octavia answered. “I know it doesn’t justify what he’s doing but… he’s still family.” Lexa nodded slightly, seeming to understand what she meant.

“We found the food you left for us,” Finn continued, a small smile spreading over his lips. “The first time, a friend of ours, Jasper, stumbled over it. No one asked questions, we were so hungry that we took it. After we found more food that just seemed to be lying in convenient locations, Bellamy became pretty suspicious.

“He and Murphy caught Lincoln hanging around our camp.” Finn side-eyed Octavia before he went on. “He and Octavia had been meeting in secret for a while.” A bright blush grew on Octavia’s face, and Lincoln shifted uncomfortably. Lexa barely contained an eye-roll.

“Bellamy tied Lincoln up in the dropship and tortured him. Finn, Jasper, our friends Miller, Monty, Harper, Monroe, and I had been talking about trying to talk Bellamy down or run away. When we learned that we weren’t the only ones on Earth, we figured it would be good to make peace with our neighbors. Bellamy didn’t agree. After seeing Lincoln tortured I—” Octavia paused and swallowed. “I realized that I couldn’t get Bellamy to stop. I freed Lincoln, and Finn and I left with him. Our other friends, they’re still in trouble.”

“With Octavia gone, Bellamy has to be on high alert for anyone, our friends and grounders alike. We need to get our friends out and overthrow Bellamy,” Finn said. “Jasper and Harper are trying to convince people to side with us, and Monty is trying to make a radio to contact the Ark. He’s a pretty smart kid, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”

“And you have come to ask for my help in taking down your leader,” Lexa stated, as it was a fairly obvious conclusion. Finn nodded.

“Nothing too violent, though,” Finn reasoned cautiously. “If we plan it right, we can take him down easily and without many casualties. We want to save as many lives as possible, including Bellamy’s. He may be a pompous asshole—” the small girl beside him growled “—but he is still Octavia’s brother.”

Lexa thought for a moment. “What am I to receive in return?”

“Well, it will save the lives of many of your people,” the boy answered. Lexa stood from her throne and grumbled.

“You think yourself bold, do you, Sky-Boy? You think that you can come to my land, kidnap and torture my people, request my assistance, and offer nothing in return?” Lexa’s voice rang throughout the throne room, and Octavia flinched. Fear flashed in Finn’s eyes, but the boy held his ground. Truthfully, Lexa thought his answer was enough, but she had been on edge since Clarke left, and she simply wanted to make sure that the boy knew his place.

“Look,” Finn said, “we don’t have much to offer. We’re just barely surviving at the dropship. We have guns that can kill many of your men in a second. I can promise you that, if our plan goes well, those guns will not be turned towards your people. And, if we can make contact with the Ark, and if they arrive on Earth, we will tell them of your peaceful ways. From there, you can make some sort of deal or alliance with the Chancellor or the Council.”

“You say you have guns,” Lexa pointed out. “They are powerful?”

“They are,” Lincoln chimed in. “I have seen them at work. They are like those of the Mountain Men.”

“Mountain Men?” Octavia inquired.

“ _Shof op_ , Sky-Girl. Stay out of matters that do not concern you,” Indra snapped. Octavia shot her a death glare, chin raised, but kept her mouth shut.

“Wait, Indra. I have an idea,” Lexa scolded. She was thinking a million things at once, and she turned to the windows behind her throne. The guns the Sky People had could be useful in fighting the Mountain Men, as could be their technology guru, the one they called Monty. “Do you suppose there are more guns on what you call the Ark?”

“There definitely are. And more powerful ones, too,” Finn added. After another long moment, Lexa turned back to her guests.

“We will have to act fast. Tonight, you will stay in the tower, and in the morning we will plan our attack. After we have succeeded, have your technology man find a way to contact your people. I will need their assistance for something far greater than you can imagine,” Lexa declared.

“What could these _branwadas_ do that you could not, _Heda_?” Indra asked harshly.

Lexa’s eyes were hard and determined, and a fierce smile shone through them. “They could help me take down the mountain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know some things here don't line up exactly, but I might be able to share some insight. Firstly, Finn says he doesn't know why they were sent to earth. Canonically, he knows, but that was because Clarke was there to tell him. Second, Bellamy is still in charge because Clarke wasn't there to set him straight. Also, doing trigedasleng translations sucks, so I'm going to use less of it. Up until this point, the characters only spoke in trigedasleng. Now, it'll be a mix. I hope that doesn't bother you.
> 
>  
> 
> Ai laik Clarke kom Trikru en Skaikru.--I am Clarke of the Tree People and the Sky People
> 
> Trikru o Skaikru,--Tree People or Sky People
> 
> branwadas--idiots


	4. The Coup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa attempts to work with the Skaikru to achieve a mutually beneficial goal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, thanks to an awesome suggestion, I've decided that if long phrases are going to be in Trigedasleng, they'll just be in italics. I probably still won't use Trige as much but it'll be worked in.

Days were spent planning the attack on the Sky Leader, and nights were spent silently deliberating what was best for her people. Lexa was stretched thin with all the information she had been given. The game she had chosen to play with the _Skaikru_ was a precarious one, and at times she figured that she had put too much trust in these children. Of course, she had been a child when she was called to lead, so she couldn’t underestimate Finn and Octavia because of their young age. But, they were not the high authority of their people. If they could not contact the people still in the sky, or if their weapons were not as strong as they had promised, all that Lexa was doing would be in vain. She had to aid Nia’s advances on the mountain, or stop her from leading hundreds of men into a slaughter. Everything needed to fall into balance, or many lives would be lost.

She had gathered her most trusted generals and advisors—Clarke’s absence was obvious and made Lexa’s heart constrict before she pushed the thought away—to meet with the Sky People and Lincoln. Indra was in attendance, as she had been the one gathering information about the Sky People. Lincoln had been inside the camp, so he could be of great assistance. Finn was the most verbal of the two, and his sincerity had not gone unnoticed by Lexa. His companion, Octavia, however, spoke only to object to things. She had a ferocity that was akin to something Lexa had seen in many of her warriors and Nightbloods. The girl had energy that seemed to have been contained before. Indra had even said that she tolerated the girl more than the Sky-Boy.

“We need to get our friends away from Bellamy and the dropship before we make any moves to attack,” Finn argued. They had been trying to plan the sequence of the attack for hours. It was nearly dinner time, and Lexa had to ignore the grumblings in her stomach.

“Will that not make Bellamy more suspicious that he already is?” Lexa queried smartly.

“We can do it quickly. Have Lincoln send a message to them, like he did for Octavia. Our friends leave, and we strike immediately after,” Finn suggested. “Bellamy won’t have time to be suspicious.”

“Shouldn’t there be someone left on the inside, though?” Octavia asked. “Like Harper or Monroe. They used to be close with Bellamy. He won’t think that they’re working against him. If they can gather people to rise against Bellamy while we attack, that only helps us.”

“That could work,” Quinn, a general of the Southern border of _Trikru_ land, stated. Lexa was surprised at this, as he had voiced his concern to Lexa before the meeting. The man had been wary of the Sky People, thought them to be weak and foreign. Lexa had silenced him with a threat.

“What will this message be?” Lexa asked, looking to Lincoln.

“I will have to find something that they will recognize. Perhaps a glowing flower,” Lincoln supplied.

“Harper and Miller will probably be on patrol, so if you can get them isolated,” Finn said, “you can send them the signal.”

“I will prepare for it tonight,” the muscular healer nodded. He was strong in war, Lexa had learned, but healing was his passion.

“Send them a signal tomorrow at dawn. They will need to know what we are planning as soon as possible,” Lexa declared.

“Tell them that we need them to leave before our attack,” Finn began. Lincoln was given paper and a charcoal to write down the message. “Make sure they know that Harper and Monroe are to stay and lead a coup with the people they have gathered. And, tell them that Monty needs to bring all the technology he can carry, including the radio. That is the most important, in case the plan doesn’t work.” Lincoln nodded, finishing his notes.

“I will leave immediately,” the bald man said. Octavia grabbed his arm.

“Leave?” she whined. Lexa saw the affection in her eyes, the fear.

“The ride to your camp is long, and I must make it before dawn.”

“But, they’ll kill you if they find you,” the brunette objected. 

“I will send him with guards. I’m sure that he will make it back safely,” Lexa interjected. Lincoln looked back at her and nodded gratefully. With a soft touch to Octavia’s face, Lincoln turned and left.

Lexa breathed softly for a moment. “Let us go over again how we are going to execute this. Quinn,” she requested. The man nodded and began to recite the plan.

“First, we take aim in the trees, hidden from the Sky People...”

 

Dinner was an awkward situation. It was fairly silent, as Lexa and Indra were used to. They had grown up respecting silence. The Sky People, however, did not feel the same. After a few minutes of silence, Finn shifted uncomfortably. Then, he shifted again. And again. Lexa shot him a death glare but once again said nothing. Octavia looked around at the stoic faces, doing her best to mimic them, but her sadness was showing through.

“So,” Finn drawled. “What exactly do you do, Commander?” Indra growled, but Lexa silenced her with a look.

“I am the commander of the twelve clans,” Lexa replied simply. Finn still looked inquisitively at her, so she continued. “I was called to lead the Tree People when I was sixteen years old, after the commander before me died. My ascension was soon after. I vowed that I would unite the twelve clans, so I did, in a Coalition that has lasted to this day.”

“That’s awesome,” Finn gasped in awe. Octavia looked at the commander with barely contained admiration. “I could never be that brave.”

“Says the kid who went on an unauthorized space walk,” Octavia muttered.

“Well, that’s kind of a funny story…” Finn smirked as his eyes glazed over in memory. Lexa and Indra were lost, so they both remained quiet, watching the Sky People talk in their odd ways. “That wasn’t me who went on the space walk. It was my girlfriend, Raven.”

“Elaborate, please,” Octavia demanded sarcastically.

“It was stupid, actually. It was Raven’s birthday, and she had been told that she couldn’t be a zero-G mechanic because of some heart thing. So, I pulled some strings, got her a suit and everything, and opened the door for her while she went on a space walk. Of course, we were caught, but I took the suit from her and told her to run. I took the fall for her.” Finn chuckled, but it held no substance.

“All this talk of Sky People madness gets us nowhere with our goals,” Indra said tersely. She was not one for much emotion. Lexa stayed silent, though she secretly found the stories of the sky endearing. She may not have known what a ‘space walk’ was, but she could picture something like it. Lexa was sure that Clarke, with her artistic imagination, would feel the same.

“It is all right,” Lexa admitted quietly, thinking of Clarke. “Let them tell their stories. It is better that we learn of them now, so that we will be better prepared to handle political affairs with them in the future.” She turned to Finn, who had a surprised smile on his face. “Tell us more.”

“The story of how I got caught is kind of interesting,” Octavia chimed in. “It’s a little depressing, but interesting. I had been living under the floor since I was born, and Bellamy and my mother had been hiding me. Bellamy knew that I wanted to get out and see the Ark, but it was too dangerous. Once he joined the guard, he had a little bit of an easier time. There was a party on the Ark for Unity Day, it was supposed to be a masquerade. It was perfect, because with a mask on, no one could really see me. By chance, there was some sort of solar flare alert, and I didn’t have ID. They found me and locked me up, floated my mother for having a second child.” Finn placed a hand on Octavia’s shoulder in solace.

“Floated?” Lexa inquired.

“It’s what they do on the ark when someone over the age of eighteen commits any crime. They send them into space without oxygen,” Finn explained. Lexa only nodded, as did Indra. “Here, I have a fun story. Raven knew Monty from advanced tech classes. They’re both geniuses, but they both love to break rules, too. Monty makes his famous Moonshine every Unity Day, but it’s pretty hard to get some, especially when it’s been outlawed on the Ark. Anyway, Raven got a whole container from Monty. We drank the whole thing really quickly and went out to walk around the Ark. One of the classrooms was open, and we snuck inside, and well,” Fin paused, blushing, and Lexa averted her eyes. “We weren’t very studious. We trashed the place, wrote a bunch of crap about Mr. Pike—it was his class we broke into. It’s a wonder we weren’t caught.” Octavia laughed outright, and Indra’s eyes seemed to light up. 

The Sky People were interesting, had interesting ways of living, but they were amusing as well. Lexa was always a curious person, anxious to learn more. It was one of the ways she united the clans, by learning their ways and practicing respect for them. For the rest of the evening, the two Sky People told their stories, some comical, others somber, while Lexa and Indra watched. By the time dinner was over, Lexa’s heart was lifted. As hostile as their leader seemed, some of the Sky People had genuine intentions of peace, and Lexa believed that she could trust them, if only a little bit.

“I think it is time we rest,” Lexa said, standing up. They had eaten their food and had a bit of a special mint cake for dessert. “We begin briefing the warriors on the plan tomorrow, and they will train to fight.”

“Could—” Octavia softly took a breath, “—could I possibly train with them?”

“Certainly not, Sky-Girl,” Indra spit, but her words had less fire in them than usual, as though she was merely daring Octavia to challenge her. And, Indra got her wish.

“Wouldn’t it be helpful for me to learn to fight? You know, in case your warriors need some help,” Octavia supplied with a cocky smirk. “Or, if I come across Bellamy and I need to take him down.” The girl's eyes glanced between the commander and the strong warrior. Indra looked to Lexa, who nodded her assent. Octavia let out a heavy breath. “Thank you.”

 

As the bright, mid-summer sun rose in the sky, the grunts and cries of hand-to-hand combat rang throughout the practice fields. Lexa had dismissed the Nightbloods for the rest of the week, so that their training area could be used for the mission. Strong men and women were practicing skills in hand-to-hand, as it was important that none of the Sky People were to be mortally harmed or killed. If they could subdue them quickly from the trees, capturing those who followed Bellamy would be fairly easy.

Lexa stood beside Indra, surveying the warriors fighting before them. The warriors were in good shape, as this style of fighting was fairly easy. It was rarely used in a full-fledged war, so they mainly practiced it as a warm-up.

“Will you have your knew fighter train, or will you let her sulk on the edge of the grounds?” Lexa asked smartly, nodding to a glaring Octavia. The girl wanted in on a fight, but Indra had not yet allowed her to face anyone.

Indra grumbled, but turned to Octavia. “Sky-Girl, you are next!” Octavia’s eyes lit up, and she stood up straight. Indra rolled her eyes. “ _Vidar_!” Indra shouted in Trigedasleng. A tall, slender man turned. “ _Fight this Sky-Girl. Show her no mercy_.”

“Indra,” Lexa scolded, “do not kill the girl.”

“She must learn what it means to be knocked down. _Ge smak daun, gyon op nodotaim_.”

A space was cleared for Octavia’s fight, and she stepped into the circle. Many others stood around her, but Lexa and Indra had a perfect view. Vidar moved into the circle, and green eyes went wide for a moment as Octavia met her competitor. Shaking her limbs out, the girl moved to punch the man. Vidar skillfully moved out of the way, and Octavia stumbled forward. There was time to strike Octavia, but Vidar remained still. Lexa smirked. He was playing with her. Again, the young girl moved to strike, and Vidar dodged her attack with ease. This went on and on as Octavia tired herself. Once she was vulnerable, Vidar grabbed her arm, spun her, and tripped her with his foot. Octavia landed on the ground with an _oof_ , the wind having been knocked out of her chest. She got back up, however, much to Indra’s surprise.

Octavia made another move, her steps clumsy and untrained. In her head, Lexa identified everything wrong with the girl’s attacks; her stance was unbalanced, her movements were choppy and slow, and she was far too aggressive. A seasoned warrior could have gotten away with the latter, if their moves were well-timed and strong, but Octavia couldn’t keep up. Vidar kicked her shin before backhanding her with great force. The girl fell again with a cry of anguish.

“Has it been enough?” Lexa asked quietly. Indra shook her head.

Octavia slowly pulled herself from the ground. Blood ran from her nose and her cheek, dirt and mud were spread over her body, and her limbs shook with exhaustion. But, she still pressed on. This time, she circled Vidar, who had an evil grin on his face. Octavia looked to be going for her usual attack, but at the last moment, she side-stepped, lunging at Vidar from the other side and sending a hard punch to his stomach. The man reeled for a moment, as he was taken by surprise. The space went silent. A second later, Vidar’s hand shot out and sent Octavia to the ground with ease. This time, she was done.

“Stay down, Sky-Girl, where you belong,” Vidar muttered, before walking into the crowd. Lexa’s blood boiled at his comment, and she noted to herself that he would be punished for his harsh words. She watched on, though, as Indra walked over to Octavia, offering her a hand.

“I punched him,” Octavia panted proudly.

“You were a mess,” Indra stated coldly. “Your balance was horrid, your timing was off, and you attacked far too often, forgetting to protect yourself. You, _Octavia kom Skaikru_ , are not a warrior.” The girl’s face fell, and she looked to the ground. “But, in time, I will make you one.”

“What?” Octavia gasped.

“You will be my second. You will do as I say, you will learn the ways of the warrior through me,” Indra explained. Lexa’s lips turned up in a smile. “You start now. Go observe the others. Watch how they move with fluidity, with rhythm. Learn from them, but do not try to be one of them. They will not respect you until you can bring them to their knees.” She paused, looking over Octavia. “I hope that you will soon succeed in that.”

“Thank you, so much,” Octavia beamed. She bowed her head slightly, then bounded off to watch the others train.

“That was wise of you,” Lexa stated as she moved towards the dark-haired warrior.

“Octavia proved herself to be strong-willed today. She has a fire inside of her, the heart of a _Trikru_ warrior. She will become one of us,” Indra commented. “I see it in the way she studies us with awe.”

“I do not doubt that she will make you proud, Indra. Never underestimate the strength of the _Skaikru_ ,” Lexa said, thinking of her strong Sky-Girl, her best general and her beloved. A jolt of fiery determination pumped through her veins at the thought of the blonde, reminding her of how important the next few weeks were.

Everything had to fall into place, or Lexa might never see her beautiful Clarke again.

 

*          *          *          *

 

The air was still. Wind just barely rustled the trees, and the birds ceased chirping. One hundred warriors moved swiftly through the woods, their footfalls completely silent. The closer they got to their destination, the better they could hear their targets. Inside the wooden walls of the _Skaikru_ camp, the sounds of kids talking and laughing could be heard. Guards were posted inside the walls, looking through holes in the wood. Taking their positions, some of the warriors climbed thick trees where they could be hidden, but still see the targets. Another group circled around the encampment. The final group, led by Lexa, found their way to the west wall, where two guards, a tall, deeply tanned boy and a red-headed girl, stood. Indra followed, with Octavia, now in warrior’s clothes and black war paint, on her heels.

“Octavia,” the girl whispered. “We don’t have much time. Bellamy is taking a nap, but Murphy is on the lookout. We got a few guns and gave them to the people we trust.”

“Thanks Harper. Are Jasper and Monty out yet?” Octavia asked.

“I’m pretty sure they just left with Lincoln. Monroe is inside making sure everyone is ready to attack.”

“Make sure they stay towards the walls at first, so they won’t be hit with the arrows,” Octavia warned. Harper nodded.

“How exactly is this gonna go?” The taller boy, Miller, asked.

“Our men will fire arrows from the trees,” Lexa chimed in, “which will hit some of your people in legs or arms, non-lethal areas. Once they are subdued, we’ll have two groups taking down the guards and charging inside.”

“We’ll need to take out Murphy first,” Harper added. “I can make sure that happens once the initial confusion is over.”

“Good.” Lexa nodded. She turned to Indra, who then nodded at a soldier. He lifted his weapon into the air, and a sniper in a nearby tree saw. Lexa watched as a silent signal travelled through the tree line, unnoticed by the _Skaikru_ inside the camp.

Within minutes, as a calm settled over the forest, a shower of quiet arrows fell into the camp. The sharp sound of projectiles sticking into flesh hit Lexa’s ears, and she nearly winced. Cries rang throughout the camp.

“Move!” Indra shouted, just loud enough to be heard by her squad. Harper and Miller took off into the camp, followed by Octavia. Their goal was to find and subdue Bellamy before he could take any action. Lexa’s men filed into the camp, and their commander followed them with swift footsteps. Inside, she saw the _Skaikru,_ most of whom were on the ground holding bleeding limbs. Many of them were well younger than her, some even younger than Octavia, a girl of only sixteen. Those _Skaikru_ who were still standing were armed, their guns pointed at the ones on the ground. They were the ones that Octavia’s friends had gotten on their side. There were only about twenty of them, but, with the help of Lexa’s army, they could contain the violent _Skaikru_ who outnumbered them.

“ _Tie up the Skaikru_!” Lexa yelled to her men in Trigedasleng. “ _Quickly tend to their wounds and wait outside_!” The injured _Skaikru_ cried out in pain, blood pooling around them and running down their arms and legs. Lexa surveyed some of them briefly before continuing on to the hulking piece of metal that loomed high into the sky before her. The dropship.

Flashes of her youth once again formed in her mind. She had seen an object exactly like the one she saw before her now, in the _Skaikru_ camp. It was the ship that delivered Clarke to the ground, as a small, lonely child. Of course, having seen the ship firsthand when she was five, she believed that Clarke was _Skaikru_ ; but it was almost as if this was a clear confirmation, making the fact concrete. These people that were scattered around Lexa, who had stayed with her and dined with her in her tower, _they_ were Clarke’s people. It was a hollow feeling, one she was sure that Clarke felt with even more force, knowing that someone’s perceived identity was not truly theirs. Lexa had always seen Clarke as _Trikru_ , but it was even more striking, seeing the sight of the Sky People before her, that her warrior was not even from the earth where she grew up. Not that it made Lexa love Clarke any less; it possibly made her love the blonde even more. As Clarke was faced with the reality that she was of the sky, it only gave Lexa another dimension of her to love and cherish.

With another breath, Lexa cleared her mind of her musings, and steadily stepped into the dropship. Indra followed, but more hesitantly, as did some of the other warriors. Lexa had already been inside such a vessel, knew that it wasn’t dangerous, apart from the people who inhabited it.

“Octavia!” Indra called once inside. 

“Up here!” the girl answered, and a hatch was opened at the top of a metal ladder. Slowly, Lexa brought herself up the ladder, finding many people on a small landing.

“Let me go, Octavia,” a deep voice hissed. As Lexa stepped onto the landing, the people parted, allowing her a look at Octavia’s captive, the source of the bellowing voice.

A mess of black hair was pressed onto the ground as tanned, muscular arms were pinned behind his back. Octavia sat atop him, and Harper, Miller, and a short, wiry girl, Monroe, stood around him with guns trained on him. Two boys were tied to a railing, one with shaggy hair and a beat-up face, the other with cropped black hair and a chiseled jaw.

Octavia looked up to see the commander and her mentor standing at the entrance to the landing. “Is everything okay outside?” she asked. Indra nodded. “Good.” Octavia looked to Harper, who was holding a rope, and the two of them proceeded to tie up the boy that was on the ground. Once that was done, Octavia stood, bringing the captive up with her. “ _Heda_ , Indra, meet my brother, Bellamy.”

His brown eyes were blazing as he stared at Lexa, a deep frown on his bleeding face. He looked back to his sister, surveying her war paint, clothes, and braids. “That grounder,” he seethed, “must have brainwashed you. You can’t do this, Octavia! You can’t listen to them. I’m your brother, listen to me.”

“No, Bellamy, you’ve brainwashed everyone in this camp. I’m done listening to you,” she shot back. “All you’ve done since we got to the ground is give orders, and if we didn’t follow them, you had your goons hurt us. You haven’t let us contact the Ark, you haven’t let us _leave._ ”

“Why do you want those bastards to follow us to the ground? They killed our mother,” Bellamy protested.

“Because we were dying out here. We were starving. You wouldn’t let us eat whatever measly food you found unless we took the bracelets off. Trust me, I hate the Ark and the Council too, but we need them, or we’re going to die. I suffered under the floor for too long just to die out here, in this world where a second child like me has opportunities to become something,” Octavia spat. Her brother flinched. “All Lincoln or the other grounders did was bring us food. They didn’t attack us, they weren’t hostile. They could have been, but their commander made sure that we were left alone. We have an opportunity to make peace with them, Bell, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

“So, what, you and that Finn kid just made a deal with this chick,” Bellamy said, nodding at Lexa. Indra growled and took a step towards him.

“Do not address the commander that way,” the warrior snapped. The boy merely rolled his eyes.

“You really think they’ll keep their word?” Bellamy asked, his eyes returning to Octavia.

“I think that we can offer them something valuable, and I think that they can help us survive, _thrive_ , in return.” Octavia raised her chin proudly, eyes flicking over to Lexa and Indra. The two simply nodded, faces still stoic.

“You’re insane, Octavia. One day, you’ll snap out of it.”

“Shut up! This is who I am, Bellamy, and this is what I believe. Just because you think you have to control me doesn’t mean I'm just going to think the same thing as you. I hope you see how wrong you’ve been this whole time.” Octavia looked up to Lexa. “You can take him now, Commander.”

“Take this Sky-Boy and tie him up well. We will bring him to the capitol under heavy guard,” Lexa said, turning to the two warriors that followed her and Indra.

“These boys as well,” Miller said, pointing at the boys they had tied up. The warriors nodded and grabbed Bellamy, taking him outside.

“Where’s Finn?” Monroe asked warily.

“We left him at our camp about a mile away,” Octavia explained, moving towards the hatch as two more warriors came to take the other captives. “He’ll be waiting for us there with Lincoln, Jasper, and Monty.”

“So, what do we do now?” Harper asked. She looked to the commander, as did the others.

“Address your people. Give them an ultimatum: accept an alliance with my Coalition, or be left, injured and unarmed. Those who accept our terms will have to be monitored, and will not be allowed access to weapons of any kind, but they will be brought to Polis with the rest of you,” Lexa answered.

“Let’s do it, then,” Miller said, moving to the hatch and down the ladder. He was followed by Monroe and Harper.

“Will you keep us all in Polis?” Octavia questioned. “Surely there can’t be enough space for all of us in your tower.”

“The tower has many floors,” Lexa replied, “and the city is large. We will have to keep you secluded for a bit while my people become accustomed to having the _Skaikru_ among them. For now, though, we will keep your people under my watch. Once your technology man makes contact with the… Ark, then we will talk permanent settlements.”

“Thank you, _H_ _eda_ , for helping us and accepting us. This is not our land, and Finn and I understand that. Hopefully, the Ark will see that as well,” Octavia said quietly. With a nod, she went down the ladder, and Lexa and Indra followed.

Outside, the leaders of the _Skaikru_ coup were speaking to the injured, trying to persuade them to join Lexa’s army on their journey to camp. There had been two casualties, mere accidents, but they were otherwise successful. This battle was won, and it was barely finished before Lexa once again began looking to the future. The sooner they could contact the Ark, the sooner Lexa’s greater plan could begin.

And, the sooner her people would once again see the bright light of living without a mountainous shadow of fear and death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of an internal monologue about identity and stuff concerning Clarke. This was just kind of how I thought Clarke would feel, and I think Lexa is able to sympathize and understand a lot of what Clarke is feeling (this happens canonically and I amplified it here because they've spent so much time together and have mutual respect and understanding). I myself have never had an identity crisis (maybe only one about sexuality if that even counts here) so I hope I captured it well. Let me know if I did!


	5. The Advent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa makes some new friends, Octavia realizes that family bonds aren't always the strongest, and someone new arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I'm hating on Bellamy. It just has to happen.
> 
> (I didn't edit sorry for mistakes)

Octavia was the first of the _Skaikru_ refugees to explore Polis. Lexa could have predicted this, as the girl seemed to be more _Trikru_ than _Skaikru_ already. She trained with the warriors daily, wore their clothes, had her hair braided intricately every day, and even began learning Trigedasleng. The girl wasn’t avid in the language yet, but she was trying. Her day in the city was an amusing one, as Lexa had heard from her guards. Octavia and Lincoln had walked from one end of Polis to the other, taking up the whole day, exploring each stall in the market and eating lunch in one of the small parks. The Sky-Girl had stopped at many of the stalls and watched the workers craft weapons or jewelry, or cook exotic foods. She had been particularly fascinated by a stall with carved wooden jewelry, and she ran her hands over each piece. At another stall, children began walking up to her and play-fighting with her. Octavia had battled with them, sometimes losing to the kids who were much smaller than her.

Many knew that she was foreign, and they glanced at her warily. But, Lincoln’s presence eased them, as did Lexa’s guards. Some thought Octavia was _Trikru_ or from some other clan. They spoke to her in Trigedasleng, and she did her best to keep up with what she was saying, but Lincoln eventually intervened. Once they returned, Lincoln and Octavia, as well as Jasper, Finn, Monty, Miller, Harper, and Monroe all joined Lexa for dinner. The rest of the _Skaikru_ were eating dinner on their designated floor in the tower, but Lexa had the new leaders of the _Skaikru_ dine with her every night. She was lonely without Clarke, and these Sky People were not bad. They were amusing, actually, and she found herself losing her _heda_ mask every once in a while in their presence.

“The city is beautiful, _Heda_. You guys should walk around one day,” Octavia said, turning to her friends at the table.

“You make it sound so amazing,” Miller replied. “Maybe I’ll go tomorrow.”

“I’ll go with you,” Monty added with a shy grin. Lexa looked between the two, as did everyone else at the table.

“Get it, Miller,” Harper mumbled, and she muffled her words with a cough as Miller elbowed her. A blush rose on the cheeks of both boys, and the rest of their companions began laughing. Even Lexa smirked a little.

“Not cool guys,” Monty grumbled, glancing at the commander. Lexa smiled a bit brighter and nodded.

“Remember this moment the next time you attempt flirt in our presence, Monty,” Lexa quipped, earning laughs from the rest of the table. She was picking up some of the _Skaikru_ phrases as they were picking up some of her own. Octavia and Harper had told her that Monty and Miller were constantly ‘flirting’, and that they were waiting for one of them to make a ‘move’. The commander had caught on to this quickly.

“Are the grounders,” Monroe began hesitantly, using the _Skaikru_ term for Lexa’s people, “okay with two men being together?”

Lexa nodded. “It is a normal thing. Many women marry women, and many men marry men, as long as they are happy,” Lexa explained. She paused, contemplating her next words before deciding that she could trust the _Skaikru_. “My beloved is a woman, and she is attracted to both men and women, but that makes no difference. Is it not this way in _Skaikru_ culture?” Lexa’s companions looked stunned, each waiting for someone to speak.

“Uh, no, it’s the same on the Ark,” Finn answered. “Although, it didn’t used to be that way, many generations before us.”

“Back it up a second,” Octavia nearly squealed. “You have a girlfriend?” She looked at Lexa with barely contained excitement at the new piece of gossip. Octavia was obviously a romantic.

“If by ‘girlfriend’, you mean _niron_ , then yes,” Lexa answered, looking to Lincoln for confirmation, who nodded.

“I don’t know if I’m more shocked that the strong, serious commander has a girlfriend, or if I'm more shocked that she has a _girlfriend_ ,” Jasper said. His floppy black hair fell into his eyes as he stared at the commander expectantly. Lexa shifted uncomfortably and nodded.

“Who is she?” Miller asked.

“Hopefully, you will meet her soon,” Lexa replied curtly, beginning to close off. She had let her guard down, something she rarely did in front of anyone but Clarke or sometimes Indra. It was a scary feeling. “She is away, preparing for battle.”

“You probably miss her,” Monroe said. Lexa nodded.

“I miss Raven,” Finn whispered.

“You’ll see her soon. Once the Ark comes down, she’ll be here,” Miller said.

“Yeah, I just need to finish the radio, and then we can tell them to land,” Monty added.

“How is the… radio coming along?” Lexa asked. She was anxious for the _Skaikru_ to get in touch with their leaders in the sky.

“I think I can make it work soon. It should automatically tune into the Ark, since I’m using one of the bracelets they sent us here with. The bracelet had already been transmitting vitals directly back to the Ark, so I don’t have to mess with that. I just need to get a power source to jumpstart it and then I think it will work,” Monty explained. Everyone at the table seemed lost. “I need power to make radio work,” he said dumbly, and everyone shook their heads in understanding. “Didn’t any of you guys pay attention in class?”

“Hey, I was living under the floor,” Octavia muttered. “I don’t know what excuses any of you guys have.”

“You know I was high all the time.” Jasper smirked, playfully jabbing Monty on the arm.

“And I was living in Farm Station with a guard as a father. All my mother cared about was plants, and all my father cared about was the guard,” Miller explained. “My path was set for me; I didn’t need to focus in school.”

“We all know you’re the tech genius, Monty,” Harper said. Monty only grinned.

“Is there anything that you need to finish it?” Lexa asked, hoping that someone in Polis could help the boy. She trusted a few blacksmiths, and they worked with metal found in the old world that could help.

“Maybe a few pieces of scrap metal. I’m not sure what to do about the power source though…” he trailed off, thinking deeply. “I’ll play around with some stuff. Maybe tomorrow or the next day I’ll get it up.”

“They probably think we’re dead,” Finn mused. “Especially since we took off our bracelets.”

“Do you think they care whether we’re alive or not?” Monroe asked.

“My dad probably does,” Miller answered, a somber look crossing his face.

“My parents were devastated when Jasper and I were thrown into the Sky Box,” Monty added.

“Yeah,” Jasper chimed in, “I was like the second son they never had.”

“That makes no sense,” Harper scoffed, but it wasn’t playful.

“If they think we’re dead,” Finn thought aloud, “whatever plan they had in sending us here must have failed. I believe that there’s a reason we’re here, not just because we’re expendable. Maybe they thought it was time we returned to Earth, and they wanted to see if we could survive. Why else would they given us bracelets that connected to the Ark?”

“You don’t think…” Jasper trailed off, looking at Monty worriedly.

“Nope, definitely not, the Council wouldn’t let that happen,” the dark-haired boy replied.

“I know you guys are like connected telepathically or something,” Octavia interjected, “but we don’t speak whatever language you communicate in, so English, please.”

Monty sighed loudly. “Right before we were locked up, Jasper and I overheard Marcus Kane, Abby Griffin, and Jake Griffin arguing outside the medical bay. Apparently, someone from the outer section of the Ark had begun experiencing signs of oxygen depravation. Jake was insistent that oxygen needed to be distributed more evenly, but that they didn’t have enough of it, so something had to be done.”

“Kane thought that they needed to start proceeding with his ‘plan’, whatever that was,” Jasper continued. “He said it was the only way to save us. Abby and Jake fought him on whatever it was he wanted to do, saying that Abby and the Chancellor were working on a new plan to avoid acting on Kane’s idea. He referred to it as a culling, but I’m not sure exactly what that entails on the Ark. It doesn’t sound too great, though.”

“It’s very possible that Kane wanted to round up a bunch of people and kill them,” Monty added hesitantly. He shared a nervous glance with his best friend.

“Why would they do that?” Miller demanded.

“To save oxygen,” Finn stated plainly. “Less people on the Ark, more oxygen to go around.”

“The Griffins wouldn’t let that happen,” Monty said, hope filling his voice.

Lexa decided to interject. “Griffin?”

“Yeah, the Griffins, Abby and Jake. Abby is the head surgeon on the Ark, and she sits on the Council, as well as her husband Jake, lead engineer,” Harper explained. Lexa had recognized the name, and an unsettling feeling fell into her chest.

“Guys,” Octavia said, “wouldn’t we be the plan Abby and Chancellor Jaha had been constructing?”

“Probably,” Finn answered.

“So, they obviously wanted to block Kane’s plan from being passed,” Miller concluded.

“But they think we’re dead now,” Finn countered.

“Still,” Monroe chimed in, “Jaha is the Chancellor. I’m sure if he doesn’t want something to pass, it won’t.”

Suddenly, Octavia let out a sob and dropped her head in her hands. Her whole body shook, and it was frightening. Lincoln, who had been silent until then, wrapped an arm around her and whispered to her in Trigedasleng. The girl seemed so small in that instant, so incredibly weak and scared. Everyone at the table watched. An odd sense of fear seemed to overcome them all as they saw their fierce friend fall apart.

In a quiet voice, Octavia breathed, “Bellamy killed Chancellor Jaha.”

 

*          *          *          *

 

Lexa could have imprisoned the former _Skaikru_ leader in her dungeons, with the other criminals that had committed crimes against the Coalition. Honestly, there were very few of them, as they were usually either executed or banished; but there were some prisoners that she kept, even if they were not to be released until they were banished at a later date. Bellamy could have been imprisoned in the dungeon, along with his main followers, Murphy and Atom, but they weren’t. Lexa devoted an entire floor of her tower to keeping them contained. Why she did this, she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was because they hadn’t actually killed any of Lexa’s people, maybe it was because Bellamy was Octavia’s brother. Perhaps she thought it would be easier to watch them, as she already had hundreds of guards in the tower.

So, the day after the somber dinner she had with her _Skaikru_ friends, she found herself being led down the hallway on the fifteenth floor of her tower, trailing behind a determined-looking Octavia. Indra was by her side, trying her best to keep Octavia’s anger at bay, but it was to no avail. The small brunette was set on her mission, and that mission included a visit to Bellamy. Once down the hallway, they reached a large set of doors, which were parted by Lexa’s guards once they spotted her. Octavia passed them without a second glance. The doors opened to a large sitting room with three adjoining rooms, one for each of the boys. They had handcuffs on, but they weren’t tightened to hurt the boys. As long as they were kept at bay and were not dangerous, Lexa was happy.

But Octavia wasn’t.

“Hey, O,” Murphy sneered, as he was on the sofa in the sitting room. “You’re looking a little _different_.”

“Go float yourself, Murphy,” Octavia snapped before heading into the center room, where an open door revealed Bellamy, sitting on his bed, reading.

“Octavia?” the boy asked, standing up. Bellamy’s sister advanced toward him in three swift strides and delivered a punch to his face. Lexa heard the crack of her knuckles against the boy’s face. “What the hell, Octavia?”

“You killed Chancellor Jaha,” Octavia growled. Bellamy’s eyes widened.

“Yes, yes I did,” he answered, chin held high. No remorse shone in his eyes. “It was the only way for me to get on the dropship to be sent down here.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Octavia scoffed. “All you think about is yourself. You say you do everything for me, but it’s all just a lie. Do you even know how many lives you took with one bullet?”

“What are you saying?”

“The Ark was dying. It _is_ dying. The council had the decision to kill a number of people to maintain a proper air-to-people ratio, so that they wouldn’t run out of oxygen, and Jaha was the only one standing in the way of it being passed,” Octavia explained with a shake of her head. “You think you can just kill one person and get away with it. Consequences exist, Bellamy, whether we think they do or not. Jaha wasn’t innocent; he probably sent a bunch of people to their deaths. Some of those people, like our mother, didn’t deserve it, but some were criminals. By killing Jaha, you have just killed hundreds of innocent people. All because you think I need saving.”

“Come, Octavia, it is time to go,” Indra said lowly, glaring at Bellamy.

“You’re not Augustus,” Octavia continued. “You’re not a Roman king. You’re not the hero of the story, you’re not even the villain. You’re just a dumb kid who gave up everything to protect a sister that didn’t need protecting, who got carried away with the power he seized, who endangered a hundred people, and most likely more, because he thought his way was best.”

“Octavia,” Lexa insisted, “you have said your peace.”

“You’re right,” the girl said, turning to the commander. “I have said it all. You can do whatever with this _natrona_ , because he isn’t my brother anymore. No brother of mine is a murderer.”

 

Indra had gotten Octavia to settle down, and the two went to train and expel some of Octavia’s anger. The Nightbloods had been training with Titus for a week, and it was time for Lexa to return to her duties other than the _Skaikru_ issues. At the current stage, it was a waiting game. Without the Ark, Lexa couldn’t move on the mountain. Until she had them on the ground, Lexa had to deal with other things.

“What is the goal of the commander?” Lexa asked her Nightbloods as they were seated around her throne. With the arrival of the _Skaikru_ , Lexa decided that the day’s lesson would be in _Gonasleng_ , to make sure that the children would be able to communicate in English with her new guests.

Dayana, a thoughtful girl of about ten, raised her hand. “The goal of the commander is to put the people before themselves.”

“That is true,” Lexa answered, “but it is much more than that.” Aden’s eyes lit up as he raised his hand, and Lexa nodded at him.

“The commander must ensure peace and prosperity to all their people. They must be valiant in times of war, and judicious in times of peace.” The blonde boy sat expectantly, waiting for Lexa’s reaction.

“Very good, Aden,” Lexa praised. A small hand raised into the air, Alvis, a boy of seven, and Lexa allowed him to speak.

“Who are the _Skaikru_ , _Heda_?” the boy asked.

“The _Skaikru_ ,” Lexa explained, “are people who are very similar to us. They are from the sky, where the rest of their people live. _Skaikru_ customs are very different from ours, but we must still be respectful of them. Do not underestimate the _Skaikru_ , young bloods, because they can be strong, just as you and I can.”

“Will the _Skaikru_ become part of the Coalition?” Alvis asked. Lexa paused and thought. It was a very valid question, one that Lexa had mused over many times.

Before the commander could answer, a guard burst into the throne room.

“ _Heda_ , _Monty kom Skaikru_ requires your presence. It is urgent,” the guard stated.

“Nightbloods, I will see you another day. Keep up with your training,” Lexa said to the children. Titus stepped from the side of the room and led the children out. Once they were gone, Lexa followed the guard down the hall and to the lift. They descended to the _Skaikru_ floor, where the majority of the _Skaikru_ kids were housed. Monty’s room was the largest, as he shared it with Jasper and had a small lab inside for his radio building.

Inside Monty’s lab, the usual delinquents—Jasper, Octavia, Finn, Harper, Monroe, Miller, and Lincoln—were assembled. Monty was standing behind a table, holding a silver device that was connected to other metal boxes by small cords.

“Commander, good you’re here,” Monty said. “I got the radio to work, all I have to do is contact the Ark.”

“Well,” Lexa answered quietly, “whenever you’re ready.”

“I shouldn’t be the one to do it,” Monty admitted.

“Who should?” Jasper asked.

“Finn and Octavia have been our leaders since we planned to overthrow Bellamy,” Harper chimed. “They should be the ones to do it.”

“Octavia?” Finn asked. The girl nodded.

“We’ll do it,” Octavia announced. She and Finn took the silver ring from Monty and looked to the boy for clarification.

“I’ll press the button on the transmitter box, and it should connect to the Ark. When you want to talk, press the red button on the smaller box and speak into the bracelet,” Monty explained.

“Okay…” Finn trailed off nervously. Monty nodded and pressed a button. A crackling sound came, then a few voices were chatting metallically. “Octavia, press the button, please.” The girl held her finger on a red button, and the voices went away. “Hello? Earth to Ark, literally,” Finn said. The kids in the room laughed lightly. Octavia took her finger off the button, and the voices returned.

After a moment, a louder voice rang out through one of the boxes. “Who is this?”

“This is Finn Collins and Octavia Blake, two of the one hundred delinquents you sent to Earth. I need to speak to Abby and Jake Griffin.”

“This is Jackson, Abby’s assistant. How many of you are there?” the voice asked.

“Most of us are alive, but we can talk about that later,” Octavia interjected. “Just, please, find Abby and Jake. It’s extremely important.” The line cut off for a few moments, and the entire room released a shaky breath.

“This is Abby Griffin,” a woman’s voice said. “How are you able to communicate with us?”

“Monty Green built a radio out of one of the bracelets you gave us,” Finn explained.

“You mean the ones you kids took off, making us think you were all dead,” Abby said coldly. “Do you understand what has happened since you removed those bracelets? Lives were lost because you kids disobeyed—”

“We know, but it wasn’t our fault,” Octavia snapped. “My brother, Bellamy Blake, escaped on the dropship with us, and he forced everyone to take off their bracelets. He wouldn’t let us eat if we didn’t do what he asked. And you sent us here with no supplies, you sent us here to die, so don’t blame us for doing what we needed to do.”

“We figured out about the culling on the Ark,” Finn said.

“How?” Abby asked.

“Not important,” Octavia jumped in before Finn had the chance to explain. “Right now, we need to know what exactly is happening on the Ark.”

Abby sighed through the radio. “Since Chancellor Jaha’s death, the Ark has fallen into chaos. Parents found out that we sent you to the ground, protests were staged. Once we thought you had all died, Kane got the Council on his side, and they began the cullings. At first, it was voluntary, but it didn’t make much of a difference. Kane began shutting down oxygen flow to the outer parts of the Ark. Children have been separated from their parents, moved to the center of the Ark to ensure that they won’t be killed.

“There hasn’t been time for an election, so the Council is acting alone. Kane has the majority of the members on his side. Jake and I have been fighting him every step of the way, but he’s been threatening us,” Abby explained. “We’re running out of ways to stop him.”

“Well,” Finn began, “we might be able to help you with that.”

“You need to send the Ark to the ground,” Octavia concluded.

“That can’t be possible,” Abby said. “Jake is here, he will discuss this with you.”

“Hello, kids,” Jake greeted, his voice warm. “Now, talk to me about sending the Ark down.”

“The ground is safe,” Finn said. “Well, we won’t die from radiation, at least. But we have survived. There are people here, grounders. Their ways are different, but they are peaceful people. They have a leader, the commander, and she helped us overthrow Bellamy. The weapons that we have on the Ark can help her in return.”

“So, you want the entire Ark to fall to the ground?” Jake asked.

“Basically,” Octavia said.

“Find Raven Reyes,” Finn added. “She might be crazy enough to help you.”

“I work with Raven every day,” Jake laughed, “I know what you mean. If I work with some of the other engineers, I think it can be done. The outer stations of the Ark, the ones that Kane shut down, have high-powered jets that we can use to get to Earth.”

“How long do you think it will take for you guys to figure it out?” Finn inquired.

“At most, three days,” Jake answered.

“We need you here as soon as possible,” Octavia insisted.

“I’ll do what I can,” Jake said. “I have to convince the Council to go along with this, too.”

“If you need us, we’re here,” Finn supplied.

“I’ll contact you if I need to, thanks, kid,” Jake promised. “Over and out.”

Miller sighed. “You think they’ll make it?”

“I trust Jake Griffin. He seems like he knows what he’s doing,” Finn answered. “And, if Raven’s with him, there’s no reason to worry.”

“So your people will be here soon?” Lincoln asked.

“Seems like it,” Jasper answered.

“Now what do we do?” Harper asked. Finn and Octavia nodded to each other, and then they looked at Lexa. The commander understood.

“Now, we wait.”

 

*          *           *           *

 

Two nights later, Lexa was told that the sky was falling.

The commander and her delinquent friends watched from the top of the tower as a metal object fell from the night sky and travelled towards the ground in the distance. It was headed for a mile away from the dropship, coordinates that Monty had supplied.

After weeks of waiting, Lexa’s plan was about to take place.

The advent of the _Skaikru_ was about to change the world.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the boring filler chapter. I promise, Clarke will be back soon (if Nia hasn't killed her by now for being Lexa's girlfriend).


	6. The Sky People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa has to persuade the Sky People to help her, Octavia discovers her new identity, and there are many happy reunions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not really edited, sorry for the mistakes

“Your people will arrive at midday,” Lexa said to the group of _Skaikru_ that had assembled before her in the throne room. The hopeful faces of her new friends stared at her, their barely contained excitement buzzing through the room. “I’m only bringing those who are leaders on the Ark. I have asked my guards to retrieve the Council, Miller’s father, and Raven.” 

“What about my parents?” Monty asked.

“You will see them soon,” Lexa promised. “If you wish to go to the _Skaikru_ camp at the end of the day, I will allow it.”

“Why does Finn’s girlfriend get to come while our families have to stay back?” Harper whined.

“Because Raven knows technology and engineering that can help the commander,” Finn snapped. His friends had been giving him much grief over the fact that he was going to be able to see Raven soon. Lexa sensed their jealousy.

“Finn is right, I need your technology to be able to fight my next enemy. But, I will need your help. Harper, Monroe, Jasper, and Monty, I will need you to go to your people and recruit them for war. They will be afraid of my people at first, as the original delinquents were as well, but you can make them see that we are not threatening,” Lexa commanded. The four that she had spoken to stood proudly with the knowledge of their new task. “Finn, Octavia, and Miller, you will stay here and act as delegates of this meeting. You must also help me win the Council’s favor. If I have them on my side, your people will easily follow. Then, we will act quickly, prepare for war and make our move on the mountain.”

“Why is there a time limit on this?” Miller asked.

“I will explain more later,” Lexa said, “but one of the twelve clans, the Ice Nation, is being led by a queen, Nia, a woman who resents my leadership. She has taken my most trusted general and is leading an attack on the mountain in a month’s time. If I do not intervene, they will all be killed.”

Octavia turned to the others. “I know you guys are excited to see your loved ones,” she said, “but we have to remember that something bigger than ourselves is going on. You might think that this isn’t our battle, that we aren’t part of the Coalition, so we shouldn’t have to deal with it. Well, that thinking is wrong. Forget that Lexa helped us fight Bellamy, and we owe this to her. Think about how many people on the Ark died because we succumbed to Bellamy’s wishes and took off the bracelets. Because we made the Ark think that we died, we inadvertently killed hundreds of our own people.

“This is our chance to make things right,” Octavia continued. “We aren’t doing this only to clear our consciences, we’re doing it because we have the chance to be heroes, and because it’s the right thing to do.” The others nodded, and they all turned back to the commander.

“Until your people arrive, you may do as you please.” Lexa dismissed them with a wave of her hands.

“Let’s go into the city,” Jasper said. “The delinquents take Polis!” Lexa smiled slightly and rolled her eyes at their antics. The _Skaikru_ kids walked out of her throne room, laughing and shouting, but one stayed behind.

“Octavia?” Lexa asked. “What troubles you?”

Octavia shifted slightly, staring up at the commander. “I’m nervous.”

“About seeing your people?”

“That’s the thing,” Octavia said. “They aren’t really my people. The _Skaikru_ , they kept me under the floor for years, then they locked me up. I was always contained because of them. But now I’m here, where I’m free to do whatever and be whoever, and I just feel like I’m more…”

“You feel more _Trikru_ than _Skaikru_?” Lexa finished for the girl.

“Exactly,” Octavia exclaimed. “I mean, I know the way I dress and do my hair now is _Trikru_ , but inside I feel more comfortable training with Indra or hunting with Lincoln than I ever did hanging with the delinquents or reading with Bellamy.” Octavia’s confession sparked something in Lexa, solidifying the bond she had with the girl.

“Octavia, I am going to trust you with something that few people know,” Lexa began, motioning for the girl to sit on the steps before her throne, where the Nightbloods always sat. Octavia did as Lexa beckoned, and then waited anxiously for the commander to continue. “My beloved, her name is Clarke. She is my most trusted general, the one who is with Queen Nia now, and she is the strongest warrior I have ever met. Together, we fought for the Coalition in our best attempt to bring the clans under one leadership. Without Clarke, I could not have achieved all that I have.”

“She sounds very special,” Octavia interrupted.

Lexa smiled. “She is, in more ways than one. Clarke may be a fierce _Trikru_ warrior, but she was not born _Trikru._ She was born _Skaikru_.”

“How is that possible?” Octavia asked, a puzzled look crossing her face.

“I am not entirely sure, but when I was five years old, a dropship, much like the one you showed me at your old camp, landed on Earth, and inside was Clarke. She was only three at the time,” Lexa explained with a small laugh, “and an adorable little girl. We grew up together, though we often found each other at odds. However, she was with me the moment I became commander, and since then she has been by my side.

“I am telling you this because Clarke is proof that it is possible for a _Skaikru_ individual to feel at home with my people. _Ai niron_ will always be a true _Trikru_ woman, even though she is of they sky. I believe that you are the same,” Lexa concluded.

“So I can truly be _Trikru_?” Octavia asked.

“If that is what you wish,” Lexa answered smoothly. She stood, and Octavia stood with her. “Now, go find Lincoln, explore the city. Perhaps you will find a sword that is to your liking. Indra has mentioned that you wish to have your own weapons.”

“ _Sha, Heda_. Thank you.”

“I will speak with you later, _Octavia kom Trikru_.”

 

As the sun rose high in the sky, Lexa stood from her throne and stretched. She had just finished a meeting with the ambassadors, bringing them in on her plans to meet with the _Skaikru_ leaders. She wanted to quell fears that the new invaders would try to take their lands, and she needed the ambassadors on her side early on. She didn’t want to tell them about her plan for the mountain, as she thought they would disapprove. They didn’t trust the _Skaikru_ the way she did, and they would not stand behind her using their weapons and their people for help.

After having been cooped up in the throne room all morning, Lexa went to the lift. She wanted to be at the gate to receive the _Skaikru_ leaders. She could have stayed in her throne room, giving her the ability to intimidate her new guests with a fierce first impression, but there was no time. She needed to build trust quickly.

Two guards followed Lexa as she made her way through the Polis streets. Many people noticed her and bowed at her. Lexa made sure she nodded at each of them, accepting the gifts that they gave her. Often, Lexa forgot how much the people loved her. The weight of the world was on her shoulders, but seeing her people give her thanks and gifts reminded her of why she believed that peace was a necessary goal. It warmed her heart seeing the prosperity that she had worked toward. Few people were left hungry in the streets, and everyone seemed to be happy. Once the shadow of the mountain was no longer cast upon Lexa’s people, she believed that they would finally have true, lasting peace.

At the gates of Polis, many guards were already waiting for the arrival of Lexa’s guests. She found Finn there, waiting as well.

“I figured I should be here when they arrive,” Finn explained. “It might help with the shock of things.” Lexa nodded. Her mask of indifference was painted on, prepared to speak of tense matters with the _Skaikru_ leaders.

“I suppose you are anxious to see your girlfriend,” Lexa said.

“Raven? Yeah, I haven’t seen her in months. I really miss her. We’ve always been close,” Finn rambled.

“She will be here soon,” Lexa replied, sensing a team of horses riding towards the gate. Her ears didn’t fail her, because in moments, Lexa’s fastest riders were escorting the _Skaikru_ guests to the gate. The new people seemed odd on horseback, but Lexa presumed that this was because they had never ridden before.

As they dismounted, Lexa noticed the five _Skaikru_ who now stood shakily on the ground. A man with longer, graying hair and a slight beard stepped forward first.

“I’m Marcus Kane,” he said. “I presume you are the commander?”

“You presume correct,” Lexa answered. “Welcome to Polis.”

“Hello, Commander. I’m Abby Griffin,” the first woman stated. She was short and slender, and had light brown hair and a familiar face. “My husband, Jake.” A tall man stepped forward with dark hair and blue eyes, eyes that Lexa recognized.

“David Miller,” a dark-skinned man said. He wore a black outfit with a black jacket, an obvious uniform of some sort.

“Finn?” a voice called from behind the adults. A short girl ran forward, her black hair flowing behind her in a ponytail. She threw herself into Finn’s arms, and he buried his face into her red jacket.

“Raven,” he whispered, his voice thick. “I missed you so much, Raven.” They pulled back from the hug, and their lips met in a searing kiss. Lexa turned back to the adults before her.

“Let us go to my tower. There, we will discuss what needs to be done,” Lexa decided. She led them back through the Polis streets and to the tower, flanked by guards. The _Skaikru_ adults seemed fascinated by the city, especially Kane. Some vendors offered them food or small gifts, and Kane took each one of them. Jake Griffin began to do the same, even as his wife was hesitant. David Miller kept a watchful eye on them all, and Lexa knew that he was part of the _Skaikru_ ‘guard’ that the delinquents had talked about. He bared many similarities to his son, and they both held great loyalty to their friends, those they swore to protect.

As they reached the tower, Lexa turned to one of her guards. “ _Find me Octavia and Miller. Send them to my throne room immediately._ ” The guard nodded and darted off into the streets. Lexa and her guests entered the lift and started their ascent to the throne room. “The rest of your delinquents are being kept in this tower. When we overthrew their violent leader, Bellamy, I gave them shelter here. They have been kept safe within my walls. If you wish to take them with you when you return to your camp, you may.” The lift came to a stop, and Lexa charged down the hall and into her throne room. She sat on her throne, waiting for the _Skaikru_ to follow. She had seats set up in front of her throne for her guests, and they took their places.

“For now, we are living in the Ark,” Abby said, “but our goal is to build a wall, and house people inside and outside of the Ark. So, I wouldn’t call where we are a camp just yet.”

“We will take the kids back with us, though,” Kane answered. Abby glared at him, and Jake placed a hand on her arm.

“Thank you for keeping our kids safe,” Jake began. “Whatever it is you need from us in return, we can provide it.”

“That is the first order of business that we must discuss,” Lexa stated. She paused as the large double doors were thrown open behind her guests.

“Dad?” Immediately, David Miller stood and turned. He rushed to the entrance of the room and engulfed his son in a deep hug.

“Hey, Nathan,” the older Miller sobbed. They stood there for long moments, and the rest of the room refocused, giving them their privacy. Octavia took a seat on the end of the chairs, next to Raven. The Sky-Girl gave Octavia a once-over.

“Are you the girl from under the floor?” Raven asked.

“I was,” Octavia replied.

“Sweet,” the tanner girl drawled. She stuck out her hand. “I’m Raven.”

Octavia returned the gesture, and they shook their interlocked hands. “I’ve heard lots about you, Raven. I’m Octavia, if you don’t want to call me ‘girl from under the floor’, which I’d appreciate.”

“You’re funny, kid. We’ll be friends in no time,” Raven said with a smirk.

After a breath, Lexa began her proposition. “For many years, the lives of my people have been plagued with fear and uncertainty. The children that are raised grow with a shadow of unrest that is cast by the tallest and most daunting of mountains. In the hills, there is a place called Mount Weather. Inside this mountain live a group of people, and they have thrived there since the Great War. A sighting of these Mountain Men is not uncommon, because for many generations they have kidnapped my people. Harmless villagers and strong warriors alike have gone missing, never to return to their families.

“I am a commander unlike any before me. The fragile peace that you have descended upon is new to my people. Once I ascended and became commander, I vowed that I would bring peace and stability to not only my clan, _Trikru_ , but to all the other clans. Today, we are all united in a Coalition, one that I forged, and one that I will die protecting. With this Coalition, I have been able to assure a prosperous life for each and every person who lives within the Coalition, although this promise cannot be completely fulfilled because of the danger that looms in the mountain,” Lexa explained. “Now that you are on Earth, I wish for your people the same prosperity that I have promised my own people. Together, we can overpower the mountain. Together, we can create a future of stability and everlasting peace.”

The adults sat before Lexa, taking in her speech. Octavia looked expectantly at the _Skaikru_ , waiting to see how they would react. On the inside, Lexa wished for an answer immediately, most importantly a favorable one, but patience was a value that she had learned long before.

“You say that these Mountain Men are kidnapping grounders?” Kane asked.

“Yes,” Lexa answered. “Many of my people have been lost to them. Hunting parties have gone on a search for food, and two or three out of the ten will never return. Witnesses say that they wear large, shining suits with masks that cover their heads.”

“Suits and masks?” Raven said. “You think they can’t take the radiation the way we can?”

“That’d be my guess,” Abby replied. “That’s very interesting, Commander, but in what way does this concern us? You say that overpowering the mountain, our people will achieve peace, but how is that? The Mountain Men aren’t a threat to us.”

“Whatever use that the Mountain Men find with my people, I’m sure they will find with yours, as well,” Lexa assured, narrowing her eyes at Abby. “If you are not careful, your people will go missing, and then you will believe what I say.”

“The commander is right,” Finn added. “When it was just the hundred, a few of our people went missing. We figured it was just the grounders kidnapping us, but once the commander assured us that she had given orders to leave us alone, I figured it had to be someone else.”

“What would our best course of action be if we were to aid you?” Kane asked.

“There is already an army advancing on the mountain, led by the queen of the Ice Nation, another clan in the Coalition. Though I have not supported her decision, I have provided her with a number of _Trikru_ warriors, as well as my best general. They have enough warriors to best the mountain, but they lack the technology. I believe,” Lexa explained gravely, “that they are walking into a massacre. With your help, though, we can meet them in a month’s time, before they strike. We will aid them with more fighters and the necessary technology, which I ask that you provide.”

“What kind of tech are we talking about going up against?” Jake inquired.

“Well, the Mountain Men carry guns, as you do. Also, they have missiles. I was young when the last missile strike occurred, but I remember it well. An entire village was decimated in minutes,” Lexa claimed. The missile strike was a terrifying experience for all of Lexa’s people. Hundreds died in the attack, and for months they lived in fear that another one would come.

“A month isn’t a lot of time,” Abby commented. Lexa could tell that the woman didn’t trust her.

“I can probably come up with something to help. We have a lot of rocket fuel that we won’t be using anytime soon, so that can be used for explosives or something,” Raven added.

“I’ll help with that,” Jake said.

“We haven’t decided on anything, though,” Abby interjected. “I still don’t think this is our battle.”

“This is our home now, Abby, and if this is what we need to do to protect ourselves, we have to do it,” Kane said.

“If this is what we’re doing,” David began, “I’ll have the guard training for it right away. We’ll recruit people from the Ark, too.”

Raven turned to look at Lexa. “How do we know you won’t leave us there to die once you make some sort of peace treaty with the Mountain Men?” the feisty woman asked.

“You have my word that we will work together every step of the way,” Lexa replied. “It would be in my best interest to keep your people as allies.”

“You’re damn right about that,” Raven mumbled, looking guiltily at a glaring Finn.

“All right, then, if the three of you are in agreement with me,” Kane said, looking at David and the Griffins, “we’ll begin preparing for this immediately.”

“Don’t you have to speak with the other Council members?” Finn asked.

“They have all stepped down,” Jake answered. “They have decided that, now that we are on the ground, the ones to lead should be me, Abby, Kane, and Officer Miller.”

“And it seems that this decision has been made,” Kane said, as the other three _Skaikru_ leaders nodded, though Abby was hesitant. Kane stood and advanced toward Lexa. “Commander, take this pin—” he held out a small round pin with a pointed insignia surrounded by stars “—as a symbol of this alliance. We will aid you in your quest for the destruction of the mountain. Whatever you need from us, we will provide.”

 

*          *          *          *

 

In a month’s time, many things changed. Lexa’s warriors trained for battle harder than they had ever before. Indra and Lexa worked their men day and night, preparing for the harsh fight they were about to enter. New warriors, like Octavia and other seconds, spent their days mastering battle tactics. Octavia rose in the ranks, with Indra promoting her almost daily. The girl had a drive unlike any warrior Lexa had seen. Most _Trikru_ warriors were raised from childhood, taught the ways of battle before they were the age of ten. Octavia did not have this ability, but she still was able to achieve great skill for having begun a month before the battle.

It was fairly common to see someone of the _Skaikru_ walking through the streets of Polis or participating in trainings with the _Trikru_ warriors. Officer Miller commanded his men to learn the fighting styles of Lexa’s people, and to teach Lexa’s warriors, in turn, the way the _Skaikru_ fought. If the Mountain Men were similar to the _Skaikru_ , they would need to learn their fighting techniques in order to prepare. Guns were fired on the outskirts of Polis, and while Lexa’s men still did not use the weapons of the _Skaikru_ , a few brave ones had fired rounds. Lexa figured it would take years before the weapons would be adopted by her people.

While Octavia stayed in Polis with Kane, the younger Miller, and some of Officer Miller’s men, the other _Skaikru_ kids went to their settlement. They were still living in the Ark, but a fence had been built. Architects from TonDC helped the _Skaikru_ build this, and some storage houses for farming, and a sign had been placed at the gate, which read ‘Arkadia’. Lexa hadn’t yet visited Arkadia, but she promised Kane that one day she would.

Kane, like Octavia, was fascinated by all that he saw in Polis. He did his best to converse with the people, in both English and Trigedasleng, and he soaked up the culture respectfully. Lexa greatly enjoyed dinners with him, teaching him the ways of her people. He learned of the other clans, the fight for the Coalition, and the diplomatic affairs that Lexa frequently conducted. Lexa introduced him to the Nightbloods, allowed them to ask him questions and get to know him. The man truly seemed to enjoy himself.

Finn, Raven, and Monty visited often with Jake Griffin, letting Lexa know that they had come up with explosives or new technology that would help them fight the Mountain Men. Towards the end of the month, Lexa gathered her delinquent friends—Jasper, Harper, and Monroe had also joined the army—along with Jake, Kane, Officer Miller, Indra, Quint, Octavia, Lincoln, Finn, Monty, and Raven, to plan their strategy. They had to make the plan flexible, as they didn’t know exactly what they would be up against, but they had something set in stone by the end of the meeting.

By the time Lexa, her army, and the _Skaikru_ were prepared to strike, the end of summer had arrived. They set out for the mountain in the morning atop many horses, carrying tents, food, guns, explosives, spears, swords, and other weapons. Lexa was confident that they could best the mountain. Her only worry was for the safety of her love. She hoped that they would intercept Nia before it was too late.

“What troubles you, _Heda_?” Octavia asked, pulling her chestnut horse to walk alongside the commander. It was midday, and they had left Polis the morning before. They were to reach the bottom of the mountain that night, where they would camp before seeking out Nia.

“I fear that we will have been too late,” Lexa answered honestly.

“I think that your _niron_ will be there waiting for you,” Octavia said knowingly. “From how you described her, she seems too strong and stubborn to die in battle.”

“Her stubbornness is what makes me fearful,” Lexa laughed.

“I’m very excited to meet her, _Heda_.”

“Clarke is special,” Lexa gloated. “I also worry that she will not take well to the presence of the _Skaikru_.”

“Why would that be?” the young girl asked.

“When I first told Clarke that she was of they sky, she was very upset by it. She knew that you had arrived on Earth, but she did not wish to contact you,” Lexa explained. “She feels as though she was abandoned by her parents in the sky.”

“Do you know who her parents are?” Octavia inquired.

“I believe I have an idea,” Lexa confessed, “but I wish to tell her once these conflicts are over.”

“I think that is wise, _Heda_ ,” Octavia said. They rode the rest of the journey in silence.

 

The sun was nearing the horizon when fires were spotted in the distance. Lexa sent two riders to find the source of the fires. They waited anxiously, the entire group of over a thousand men at a standstill. Lexa got off of her horse and paced. If she had gotten her timing right, it was possible that she had stumbled upon exactly who she had been looking for.

“ _Heda_!” a man shouted. It was one of the riders she had sent. “ _The fires belong to Queen Nia’s army._ ” Lexa breathed a sigh of relief at the words.

Turning to the rest of the army, she shouted, “We will meet with the other army ahead of us and camp there for the night! Quickly!” With that, she jumped on her horse and rode ahead, the horses and army following behind her. Many voices rose as Lexa neared Nia’s camp. Warriors sparred, men and women spoke around fires. In the center of camp, a large tent was placed a few paces away from a fire. Nia’s tent. Lexa made her way there, jumping off her horse and allowing a warrior to take it for her. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area, finally landing on a blonde who had just stood from in front of the fire. Her golden hair was braided as usual and looked to be blazing, and her blue eyes sparkled in the low light. Lexa saw her, and her heart lifted. She felt like she had finally found what she had been looking for.

“ _Clarke_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Clarke is back! Lexa and Clarke can be happy again! Or can they?  
> Also, I know there has been a lot of Octavia and Octavia/Lexa, but I just love developing Octavia and her relationship with Lexa. The girl has a lot of room to grow and she is kind of similar to Clarke, just a little younger and more immature. I kind of think of Lexa as being Octavia's older sister, as Clarke will probably be too.


	7. The Vanquishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and her army launch their attack on the mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. I spent a lot of time on this chapter. I hope it's good.
> 
> Also, I basically wrote it to Swan Lake, so if you want to listen to a few songs from that while you read (especially listen to the Finale at the end of the chapter) you can do that.

Lexa’s first instinct was to reach out and touch the blonde in front of her, to envelop Clarke in a hug that would last forever. Her heart ached and her skin burned, and all she wanted was to take Clarke into her arms. She wanted to run her hands over every inch of the girl’s skin just to make sure that she was real, that she was safe. Lexa hadn’t had much time to worry about Clarke, as she was catering to the _Skaikru_ and trying to plan the Mount Weather attack, but the absence in her throne room, the cold spot beside her in her bed, reminded Lexa every day that the blonde wasn’t safe in Polis. The situation was made worse by the fact that Clarke was in the clutches of Lexa’s enemy. The commander would never trust Nia, not after what _Azgeda_ had done to her village, to her family, Clarke’s family, and Costia.

Lexa swallowed thickly, her eyes searching all the visible parts of Clarke. It had been two months, but it felt like years since she had seen the blonde off in the low light of dawn. Blue eyes stared back at her, glassed over with tears threatening to fall. Lexa pushed her emotion down to the pit of her stomach, took another step towards her love.

“ _This is a surprise, Heda_ ,” Clarke said softly. Lexa loved the way Trigedasleng sounded in the warrior’s smooth voice. “ _We weren’t expecting you to join us in our attack._ ”

“ _I could not let you walk into a massacre alone_ ,” Lexa replied truthfully. She turned to where her guards had stopped behind her, setting up a tent about twenty paces away from the fire they were standing in front of. “ _Come, I must speak with you alone._ ” Lexa gestured to the tent, and Clarke began to walk towards it. She found Octavia and motioned her over. “Bring the delinquents and Indra, Jake, Kane, and Officer Miller here. I want their tents on the other side of this fire.” Octavia nodded, and Lexa turned back to Clarke. The blonde stared at her, brow furrowed, but continued into the tent, with the commander following.

“ _Why did you just speak to that warrior in Gonasleng_?” Clarke asked.

Lexa hesitated before answering. “ _She is Skaikru_.”

“ _Skaikru_?” Clarke gasped. “ _They are here_? _With you_?”

“ _Yes. It is a long story, Clarke, one for another day, but we have forged an alliance. The ones that I told you about before you left, the delinquents, they were sent to Earth before the others. Together, we contacted their people in the sky, on the Ark. The Ark is on the ground, now, and their people are willing to help us_ ,” Lexa explained.

“ _I cannot believe this_ ,” Clarke sighed, sitting down on the makeshift bed that Lexa’s guards had set in the tent.

“ _It has been done,_ ” Lexa said. “ _They are providing us with technology that will defeat the Mountain Men_.”

“ _Why have you done this_?” Clarke whispered, her voice shaky. “ _You knew how I felt about the Skaikru_.”

“ _I thought that you had accepted your lineage._ ”

“ _Accepting that I am different, accepting that I come from someplace foreign and unknown is one thing_ ,” Clarke suddenly yelled, standing to face Lexa. “ _Being able to face the people who cast me away as a child is another, Lexa_!”

“ _I could not just let this opportunity slip away. I did what was best for my people. Not only will the Skaikru technology aid us in defeating the mountain, but they will add much to the well-being of our people. I could not lose that possibility because of your feelings_ ,” Lexa argued. She watched as Clarke’s blue eyes turned stormy, and Lexa realized too late that her words had stung. She stepped toward the blonde as a tear trailed down her fair cheek. “ _I’m sorry_.” She tentatively put her hands on Clarke’s cheeks, waiting for the blonde to back away. No rejection came, so Lexa wiped the tear from her love’s face before pulling the girl to her in an embrace.

“ _I’m scared, Lexa. I don’t know how to face them_ ,” Clarke confessed quietly.

“ _They are not different from you or me. They have some… interesting phrases and stories, but they are only people_ ,” Lexa cooed.

“ _They are my people_ ,” Clarke said, then echoed, “ _my people_.” She laughed thickly. “ _It feels strange, connecting myself to anything but Trikru_. _Now that they are here, it all becomes real, painfully real. I cannot do it_.”

“ _But you can, hodnes. You are the strongest-willed warrior that I know. If you wish to meet these people, to befriend them, you will. The Skaikru are my friends,_ ” Lexa continued, “ _somehow, they have become my friends. They can be yours, as well_.”

“ _What if my birth parents are here_? _Must I face them_?” Clarke asked. Lexa stared at her. The blonde seemed so small, so terrified. It was a sight that the commander had never witnessed before.

“ _You do not have to see them tonight_ ,” the commander reassured her.

“ _Do you know who they are_?” Lexa shook her head. It wasn’t a lie, exactly. She had her guesses, but she would only truly inquire if it was what Clarke wished. “ _Do any of the other Skaikru know of my lineage_?”

“ _Only one, Octavia. She is very trustworthy, and she is training to be a Trikru warrior, under Indra’s teachings,_ ” Lexa explained.

“ _I feel bad for her,_ ” Clarke joked. “ _It is a wonder that she has not been killed in the wake of Indra’s wrath._ ”

The commander laughed. “ _We should go back outside_ ,” Lexa whispered. She placed a hand on Clarke’s cheek and pulled her in for a soft kiss. Her heart melted at the feeling she had longed for. “ _I must speak with Nia_.”

“ _Wait_ ,” Clarke commanded. “ _I had been meaning to send a rider to you, but I couldn’t find anyone to do it without Nia’s watch. I had to warn you. Nia plans on using the power that comes with victory over the mountain to take your place as heda. She wishes to have the other clan leaders on her side, and once this occurs, she will be searching for your head._ ”

Lexa thought for a moment. “ _And if she didn’t defeat the mountain_? _What would her plans be without a victory_?”

“ _She intends to stay behind during battle, to live on, to tell the other clans of the atrocities she will have witnessed. With them on her side, she can dethrone you easily_.”

“ _Nia will never hold the title of heda_ ,” Lexa growled. “ _I will do everything in my power to make sure that will never happen._ ”

Clarke smiled and kissed Lexa sweetly. “ _I expect nothing less of you, Heda_.” Clarke took Lexa’s hand and pulled her towards the flap of the tent. Once outside, she moved away from the commander, as she had always done in public.

“Commander!” Octavia called from the fire. The girl was sitting on a log between Lincoln and Raven, the glow of the fire illuminating the black streaks of paint on her face. The other delinquents were around her, talking and laughing. Lexa led Clarke to where her _Skaikru_ friends were sitting around the fire, holding cups of a clear liquid. “Monty brought his Moonshine with him.”

“Why did you bring it, Monty?” Finn asked, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

“Well, I brought it for us to celebrate after we won, but since this may be our last chance to drink it…” he trailed off, and Jasper threw an arm around his shoulders.

“You’re a smart man, my friend,” Jasper proclaimed.

“Are you sure it is wise to drink alcohol before battle?” Lexa asked, a knowing glint in her eye. “From what you have told me, alcohol always leaves you impaired the day after you consume it.”

“We are not planning to attack until the day after tomorrow,” Clarke added from behind Lexa, “so there is no harm in drinking tonight.” Nine pairs of eyes turned to stare at the blonde inquisitively.

“Friends,” Lexa said, “I would like you to meet Clarke.” Clarke stepped forward and nodded to the group. Octavia’s eyes widened, and she looked to the commander with understanding in her eyes. “Entertain her with your stories while I speak with Queen Nia.”

Clarke sent Lexa a panicked look, but Octavia made room between her and Raven, and she beckoned for Clarke to sit on the log. A cup of Moonshine was handed to Lexa’s love, and this made Lexa content, so the commander went to the large tent before the fire. Three _Azgeda_ sentries were stationed outside, and they paused before letting Lexa in. A growl rose low in her throat at their near act of rebellion. Lexa despised how Nia had her warriors ignoring orders from their _heda_.

Stepping inside, Lexa charged her way into the large, main room. Candles were strewn about, casting light on the many maps that sat on tables. A large chair, something akin to a throne, was placed at the head of the main table. More guards stood around the table, with Nia at the head.

“ _I wish to speak with Nia_ ,” Lexa growled, “ _alone._ ” The _Azgeda_ men looked at Lexa, then back to their queen. With a wave of her hand, Nia sent the guards off and stood.

“ _I heard that you had charged into my camp with an army_ ,” Nia said, her voice calm. “ _Have you finally come to your senses_?”

“ _Attacking the Mountain Men was always a goal of mine_ ,” Lexa bit back. “ _I merely had the wisdom to know that doing it unprepared and without solid technology would be impractical_.”

“ _And what have you now_?” Nia inquired, a thin eyebrow raised.

“ _I have the Skaikru and their weapons_ ,” Lexa answered proudly. “ _Their technology will be the reason we win this fight._ ”

“ _The Skaikru_?” Nia nearly gasped. She tried to keep her indifference, but Lexa could see through it. “ _So it is true, the ones in the sky have come to Earth_.”

“ _Yes, the Skaikru are here, and they will help me defeat the mountain. If you wish to join in our fight, you may. But you and your men take orders from me, no hesitation_.” Lexa narrowed her eyes.

“ _Isn’t that how it always is, Heda_?” Nia spat. “ _You are the commander, we always answer to you_.”

“ _I see how your men carry on, worshipping you and not following my command. Let it be known that I will not stand for their insolence, or yours, any further. You will do as I say_ ,” Lexa seethed, “ _Or I will personally take your head._ ”

The threat didn’t seem to phase Nia. “ _A risky threat from a heda whose power is always checked by the other clans. Of course, you did put the system in place when you forged the Coalition. Regretting it now, Lexa_?”

“ _This conversation is through_.” With a final glare, Lexa stormed out of the tent. Another minute with Nia, and she might have sent a knife through the older woman’s heart. The only thing that could calm her down was Clarke—and maybe some Moonshine. Thankfully, neither were too far. Within a few paces, Lexa reached the fire where the delinquents were laughing once again. Clarke was amongst them, where she had been before, but she seemed more comfortable. She was even laughing with the _Skaikru_ kids. Clarke had always been more outwardly expressive, whereas Lexa had to steel her emotions more often, but Lexa had never seen the warrior this free with anyone but Lexa. The commander’s heart surged with happiness and wanting.

“What are you laughing about?” Lexa whispered in Clarke’s ear, having snuck up behind the jovial girl. Clarke jolted, but leaned closer to Lexa still.

“Jasper was telling a story about his first night out in Polis with some of the others,” Clarke explained, her breath puffing against Lexa’s cheek. Lexa concluded that the blonde had drunk a few cups of Moonshine. “Sit with me, _hodnes_.” Lexa nodded, and Clarke began shoving Octavia closer to Lincoln. Octavia turned, saw Lexa, and shifted closer to the tall man, leaving room for Lexa to sit.

“Someone get the commander some Moonshine,” Octavia half-shouted. The girl was well on her way to drunk. Lincoln looked amused and slung an arm around her.

“Lower your voice, Octavia,” he laughed. “The Mountain Men will hear you and they will take the Moonshine from us.” Laughs rang throughout the group, and Octavia only swatted at his tough chest.

“Here you go Lexa,” Jasper said, passing a cup over. The others went silent, and it took Jasper a moment to realize his misstep. “Uh, I mean, Commander. I’m so sorry,” the boy slurred. Lexa grinned.

“It is fine. You all may call me Lexa,” the commander stated, “except in front of my warriors.”

“Awesome,” Jasper said, and a few chuckles came from the group. Lexa lifted her cup into the air before bringing it to her lips and swallowing the burning substance in one go. The boys in the circle cheered, and Finn poured her more of the drink, as well as another round for everyone else.

“So, Clarke,” Miller began, “you’re a _Trikru_ warrior?” The blonde beside Lexa stiffened, but nodded all the same. Octavia grew a bit tense as well.

“Yes, I am the commander’s top general,” Clarke answered.

“You must have some cool stories then,” Monty said. The dark-haired boy was pushed up against Miller, and their fingers were almost laced together on the log they sat on.

“My stories of battle are none too interesting,” the blonde stated, and Lexa scoffed, but Clarke ignored her. “But, I do have a story of Lexa from when she was young that you may find enthralling.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Lexa muttered under her breath. Clarke turned and flashed a toothy grin in the commander’s direction. Her blue eyes sparkled, and not just from the firelight.

Clarke took a long sip of her drink before continuing. “Before Lexa was the commander, she was a scrawny little girl. She was fairly clumsy, too, when she wasn’t swiftly battling.” Another round of laughs from the group. “One day, Lexa was carrying two large buckets of water up a hill, following her mentor, Anya. It was some sort of strength building drill, I think. I was going up the same hill, with a few of the other seconds, when Lexa looked at us. It was barely a second before she was barreling towards the ground, the water buckets flying through the air. Before we knew it, Anya was drenched and Lexa was on the ground. As punishment, she had to take orders from all the other seconds for a week.” Laughs burst out from the others in the circle, and Clarke herself began laughing, too. A blush crept onto Lexa’s cheeks.

“ _You will pay for that later, General_ ,” Lexa said lowly, her breath dangerously close to Clarke’s ear. The blonde shuddered, and desire flashed in her eyes. Lexa was tempted to take Clarke back to her tent then, but they were having too much fun with the delinquents to leave.

“Artigas!” Octavia called, as a slender man with a thick black braid passed the fire. Lexa recognized him as one of the seconds that trained with Octavia. “Come sit with us, have a drink.” The boy nodded, and began walking over.

“He’s sexy,” Harper whispered to Monroe and Jasper, and Raven, Lexa, Clarke, Finn, and Jasper chuckled lowly. Monroe’s face fell and she looked away. “You think I have a chance with him?”

“Hey, Artigas,” Raven yelled. “Come sit here, next to my friend Harper.” Finn shifted closer to Raven, and a spot opened as Harper waved shyly at the boy. More drinks were passed out, and two more rounds were downed. Lexa had had fewer drinks than the others, but she already felt the effects of the strong drink. Her mind was beginning to slow, though her senses were still heightened as usual, and she could already feel her filter slipping away.

“You were terrified of me the first time we met,” Lexa said to Finn.

“That’s because you were all ‘brooding, hard-ass commander’,” Finn slurred. “You gave me an angry speech or two.”

“I was only trying to put you in your place,” Lexa laughed. “Do not take it personally.”

“She does it to everyone new who comes to Polis,” Clarke added, her words drawn out. Lexa placed a hand on the girl’s back, as she looked to be unsteady just sitting up. It was a move that Lexa would never make in public, when she had to be _heda._ But, this night, she could be Lexa. She could be the young girl who wanted to laugh with her friends, the girl in love, who could express the way she felt. This night, she felt as though she was able to wrap her arms around her _niron_ , kiss her and claim her before all the world. Of course, she was still aware that the _Azgeda_ warriors surrounded them, and that she couldn’t be that bold. Still, she relished in the simple, open touches that she could have.

“You know what I want to do?” Octavia asked, her voice growing louder with each drink she consumed. “I want to spar with the commander.”

Lincoln laughed. “Do not get ahead of yourself, _niron_. Your skills are not yet a match for the powerful _heda_.”

“I don’t care. Lexa, get up, we’re doing this,” Octavia demanded. With a slight shrug, Lexa stood and faced the younger girl. They moved away from the fire, behind the delinquents, while the others turned to watch. The two got into fighting stances, and then Octavia took a swipe at Lexa. The Moonshine had impaired her skills, and Lexa was able to bring the girl to the ground easily. “Raven! Help me here!” Octavia yelled as Lexa pinned her to the ground.

“What the hell do you want me to do?” the other girl asked.

“Just help!”

“Okay, then,” Raven said, before getting up. “You ready for two-on-one, Commander?”

“Do your worst,” Lexa growled playfully. Raven jumped onto her back, clinging to her shoulders before being flung off. Octavia was able to wiggle out of the commander’s hold, and she shakily got to her feet. Lexa and Raven eventually did the same. Chests heaving, the girls prepared for another fight.

“Bring it on, Lexa,” Raven chuckled, before she and Octavia charged at Lexa. Lexa easily side-stepped both of them, and they had to hold onto each other not to fall from throwing their bodies through the air. Beside her, Lexa noticed out of the corner of her eye that Finn had moved to sit with Clarke. Her chest clenched, as well as her jaw, but before she could react any further, a thin body slammed into her stomach. She didn’t flinch in pain, as Octavia was too small and too drunk to really inflict any, but the two girls fell in a heap on the forest floor.

“Yeah, Octavia!” Miller cheered. Monty gave the girl a thumbs up. Lexa looked back at the delinquents, waiting to see her favorite blue eyes, but the sight never came. Clarke was deep in a conversation with Finn, and the boy was leaning far too close to her love.

“Sorry, Lexa, but you’ve been beat,” Octavia panted.

“We’ll spar again and see what happens when I am not drunk,” Lexa replied, shaking the girl’s hand. Raven patted her on the back, and then they returned to the log they had been sitting on. Finn had moved even closer to Clarke, and Lexa growled. “Come, Clarke,” she said curtly, pulling the girl up by the arm and away from Finn. The boy stood with them, and Raven and Octavia sidled over to witness the exchange.

“You’re leaving,” Finn nearly whined, looking at Clarke. The blonde glanced between the two as Lexa glared at the Sky-Boy.

“The commander and I have much to discuss, it seems,” Clarke answered, allowing herself to be pulled by a persistent Lexa. “Goodnight!” she called over her shoulder, before following willingly.

Behind them, Lexa heard Octavia smack Finn. “What the hell?” he scoffed.

“Clarke is the commander’s _girlfriend_ ,” Octavia huffed.

“Are you kidding me? She’s hot—hey!” Another smack, this one from Raven. “It’s a fact Rae, I’m not saying she’s hotter than you.”

“It is a fact,” Jasper piped up.

“ _Shut up, Jasper_.”

 

Lexa collapsed on Clarke’s chest, their bodies pressed together, finally. She ran her hands over soft skin, skin that she had spent the past hour tracing and worshipping. She buried her face in the crook of Clarke’s neck, breaths puffing out and tickling the other girl. Clarke placed a lazy kiss on her cheek, and Lexa pulled back to look into blue eyes.

“ _I missed you_ ,” she admitted breathily. Clarke smiled and pressed another chaste kiss on her lips.

“ _I missed you more than you could imagine_ ,” Clarke replied. “ _Do not mistake me for a fool, though. I saw that you were jealous._ ”

“ _Jealous_?” Lexa scoffed, blushing. “ _I do not know what you’re talking about_.”

“ _Your jealousy of the Sky-Boy, Finn_ ,” Clarke giggled, “ _is extremely endearing_.” The blonde flipped them, so that Lexa was pressed onto the bed beneath her. She kissed her way down Lexa’s chest, and the commander sighed.

“ _I will try to be more jealous, then_ ,” she joked. Pulling Clarke back up to face her, she kissed the girl and then looked into her eyes. “ _You liked my Skaikru friends, then_?”

“ _They are very amusing_ ,” Clarke conceded. “ _I think that I was just terrified of facing them. Once I did, however, they grew on me easily._ ”

“ _That is how I felt, as well. They are enjoyable to be around. And, they are your people, so we must stay friendly with them. The technology that they hold can change our way of life, possibly for the better._ ”

“ _I understand now_ ,” Clarke said quietly. Lexa placed a hand on her cheek, her thumb running over the girl’s skin.

“ _I know that it will be hard for you to trust them, and I know you are hurt. If you had been in Polis when I brought them, I would have consulted you. This had to be done. And, in time, I think that your hurt will subside enough. Whether that means speaking to your birth parents, or never seeing them in your life. I will support however you choose to interact with them, or any of the Skaikru_.” Lexa smiled a little.

“ _There is much to decide. I’m comfortable with the delinquents, but the others… I will see how I feel. For now, my problems don’t exist_ ,” Clarke sighed. “ _We have a battle to win._ ”

 

————

 

“We must attack at first light tomorrow!” Lexa argued. She narrowed her eyes once more at Nia, waiting for the woman to challenge her once again. They had been at it for a few hours, fighting over strategies and timing. Several others were in the tent with them: the _Skaikru_ leaders that she had brought with her; Clarke, Quint, and Indra; and many _Azgeda_ generals. The rest of the room was silent but for the shouts between the two leaders.

“We cannot risk sleeping another night with the mountain above us. They will figure out that we are here, and by tomorrow morning we will all have perished,” Nia said smoothly. “If your army hadn’t arrived so boisterously, perhaps we would have had more—”

“ _Empleni_!” Lexa shouted. “I will have no more of this. The attack begins at first light. If there is anymore dissent, from _anyone_ , you will see the end of my sword.” Her green eyes flicked to Nia’s grey ones. Lowly, she growled, “Must I make myself more clear?”

“That will not be necessary, _Heda_ ,” Nia fired back, obviously subdued. “Let us continue on, then.” Out of the corner of her eye, Lexa caught Clarke whispering to a warrior.

“ _Heda_ ,” Clarke said, “the technology scouts have come back.”

“Good. Send in Raven,” Lexa commanded. The warrior nodded and left to retrieve the girl. “Jake, will your team be prepared to make adjustments by morning?”

“I can make it happen,” the man answered.

“What’s up, Lex—Commander?” Raven snarked, entering the tent with a worried-looking warrior behind him. All eyes in the room turned towards the girl, and Markus Kane visibly cringed. Half of Lexa’s warriors looked ready to kill the boisterous girl, and Nia was fighting a smirk. Raven stood, frozen, fearing her misstep would cost her life.

“Raven,” Lexa half-sighed, “what did you find on your scouting?”

The girl was still frozen, mouth slightly agape, before she moved closer to the table, very much aware of the deadly look Indra was shooting at her. “Uh, yeah, the scouting mission. Right. So, basically, we went a little ways up the mountain, and we found the front door. They have a pretty intense system of locks on it, but we can blow it with explosives. The other main thing is their power source,” Raven explained. “They use a natural waterfall to power the inside, it seems. Someone has to get inside and take it down, once again with explosives. That’s gonna require a lot of precision and speed, because they have cameras everywhere. I would have taken the cameras out while we were there, but they would have noticed.”

“So we take out the cameras, the power, and the lock all at once,” Jake supplied.

“If it can be timed right, I think it’ll work,” Raven confirmed. “I’ll talk to Monty. He brought a bunch of radios for us, and he can help us plan that.”

“I will let you and your team handle that,” Lexa said. “Now, we will plan our invasion. After the technology team has done their part, we will enter from all sides. My scouts have informed me that there are three entrances; one from the North, one from the South, and one through a tunnel that begins about a mile from camp. Indra’s team will take the tunnels. Quint and I will enter through the North, and Nia and Clarke will invade through the South. Each team will have a number of _Skaikru_ at their head with guns and explosives.”

“That will be arranged, Commander,” Officer Miller stated.

Lexa nodded. “We will all need to work together to win this. Otherwise, we will not see another day.”

 

Her stomach fluttered with nerves. It was a welcome feeling, one that she had experienced many times before, but each time she felt it, it exhilarated her as if it were the first time. As Lexa crouched low behind a rock, waiting for the _Skaikru_ signal, she couldn’t help but think of the first time she had fought. Only sixteen years old, and she had killed an _Azgeda_ warrior. She’d killed many times after that, and sometimes those deaths were slower, ones where she had to watch one thousand cuts before she made the final slice; those kills should have stood out in her mind. That was not the case before the mountain attack, however. Lexa only thought about her very first kill, the one that took her innocence. She had grown up in a world where war was commonplace, and killing was something that she was raised to do. Death was not to be taken lightly. It was a horrible consequence of the cycle of violence and retribution. But, for a young warrior, it was something to become used to.

Lexa had always thought that she wouldn’t be affected by her first kill, or any kill for that matter. She was a bold young child, too bold for her own good, as Anya would say. Lexa’s mentor would assure her that any life she took would leave an imprint on her heart, as it would a scar on her back. She never thought, though, that the first life she took would haunt her before every battle, before each chance that her fight would end. The commander knew that the battle would be harsh, that it could be her last, but all she could think about was that night, with the flames and the screams, and her father’s sword cutting into the warrior’s neck.

“ _Heda_ ,” a warrior said, her voice almost uneasy, “ _the Skaikru have signaled. It is time_.”

“Rise, warriors!” Lexa called out. “Today we fight valiantly, tomorrow we relish in the peace we have brought to our people in victory!” With those final words, they rushed towards the door of the mountain. Shots from guns rang out in front of them, and Lexa ducked behind another rock before she could be hit with a bullet. A few others were not so lucky. An explosion occurred at the door, and the sound rang throughout the forest and the valley. It was time to strike, but they were stuck, with Mountain Men shooting at them from above. “Miller,” Lexa yelled, “take some men around behind the shooters and clear a path for us!”

“Yes, Commander,” he said, before motioning to _Trikru_ and _Skaikru_ warriors to follow him. His brown eyes were fearless as he passed the commander, charging ahead in his black uniform, gun drawn. The others followed, weapons out and prepared for the fight. Lexa watched as a stray bullet caught a woman, and she fell to the ground in a cry, her black hair flying about. Blood stained her chest, and the spot of red was growing larger by the second. She turned away immediately, focusing on the battle at hand.

“Quint, can you make it to the door?” she asked her general beside her.

“I can try to take a few men, but I fear I will lose half of them before reaching it,” he answered. He took the bow from his back and unsheathed an arrow, taking aim over the top of the rock and quickly firing it towards the source of the gunfire. He repeated the action many times before he let out a sharp cry. A bullet had grazed his arm, Lexa could already see the open wound. “I am all right,” he said to her worried gaze. “I can still fight.”

“Give me the bow,” Lexa ordered. He nodded and handed her the bow and set the arrows on the ground beside her. She unsheathed an arrow, looked to the top of the hill, and aimed. A green-suited figure was just barely in her sight, so she fired at it, watching as the arrow stuck into it. Another shooter was down. Suddenly, more gunfire came from that direction, but it was no longer pointed at Lexa and her warriors. Miller and the _Skaikru_ , she concluded, had indeed cleared a path for them. “Run! Go for the door!” With Quint beside her, Lexa took off, making for the entrance to the mountain.

The walls inside were dark, cold, hard. Lexa squinted as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Red lights flashed on the walls, creating a disorienting sight. It was nearly silent inside, but for the occasional sound of a gunshot. She was puzzled, but Lexa pressed on, her men behind her. They snuck around corners, the place being a maze of halls. Not a person was in sight, and the commander was confused.

No sooner than she had realized how eerily quiet it was, voices began to approach them. The sounds of heavy boots rang through the corridors, and Lexa stopped, drawing her swords from their sheaths on her back. She waited. Just before they rounded the corner, Lexa darted out, her swords swiftly extended from her sides. With a loud cry, she sprinted at the men she had discovered. Their green suits were daunting, but Lexa wasn’t phased. She took a swipe with each sword at the first two in the group, twirling to take down a second and third. A few _Skaikru_ shot at the others from behind her, and arrows soared around her. Her feet moved swiftly, slicing through the thick rubber of the suits and reaching flesh with her swords. Once she got to the final man, she sliced the arm carrying his gun, kicked the backs of his knees, and brought him to the ground. She stabbed her sword into his chest.

“Keep moving!” she said to the men behind her, chest heaving, blood pumping. “Spare no one.”

They all moved together as one, a unit that was nearly unstoppable. Each team of Mountain Men that charged them suffered the same fate as the one before it. Lexa’s men sustained a few casualties each time, but still they pressed on. The halls seemed to stretch forever, but they finally reached what seemed to be the center. A large room stretched out before them, covered in decorative rugs and odd paintings. Other halls met in this room, where the other two teams of Lexa’s army were entering from. They were all covered in sweat and blood, but there they stood, the leaders at the heads: Indra, with Octavia and Kane by her side; Nia, and her many _Azgeda_ generals and warriors; Lexa, her swords still dangling from her hands; and Clarke, blue eyes shining with the thrill of battle.

There was one hall that was empty, leading away from the room. A plaque beside it read ‘President’s Office’. Lexa figured that it was the place where they would end the war.

“Do you think we have taken down everyone?” Clarke asked as they convened in the middle of the room.

“There is but one way to find out,” Lexa stated, and she began making her way down the unoccupied hallway. The others followed their fearless commander without hesitation. At the end of the hallway, a glass box was stationed, and three men stood inside, all wearing the green suits. They turned, noticing the approaching army, and started backing away from the doors. Lexa nodded at her warriors behind her, and they charged the box, opening the doors and filing inside. One of the Mountain Men drew his gun and fired, but he was easily subdued with an arrow to the chest. After the threat was neutralized, Lexa charged in, her entourage of generals and leaders behind her. As she approached the shaking men in suits, she stopped before the table that they were standing behind.

“Do not hurt us,” an older man said, his hands raised in the air. “You have won.”

“Who are you?” Lexa asked.

“I’m President Dante Wallace. This is my son, Cage,” he answered. “Please, have mercy. You have already killed everyone else in this mountain; spare us.”

“How do you know that we have killed?” Clarke asked. The older man motioned to a set of boxes, with many pictures of deceased people on them. Many of the dead were blistered and burned, others shot or stabbed.

“When you opened the doors and killed the power,” the other man, Cage, said, “you killed the innocents living here. We cannot stand the radiation you let in.”

“So it’s true,” Markus Kane chimed.

“It is,” Cage affirmed.

Lexa took a step around the desk, towards the men. They flinched, but stood their ground. “How many of my people have you taken?” she asked lowly. “How many lives have been left to the mercy of you, how many lives have been lost because you think us to be beneath you? You think us inferior, because our ways are different from ours. You think that you can do whatever you wish with my people because you live above us. That will no longer stand. Today, we have proven that we are much more than you thought us to be. I will take mercy on you,” Lexa proclaimed, looking back to her people. “These men will live, but do not think me to be weak. Our justice will be served. They will be carried throughout my lands, brought to each capitol of each clan, facing hatred and ridicule. If they survive this journey, they will be sent into exile—” she turned back to the men “—knowing that they are the last of their kind.”

 

The battle was won. Lexa and her surviving army marched their way down the mountain, back to their camp. Cries and whoops of victory filled the air for hours, fires were lit in celebration. More of Monty’s Moonshine made its way around the camp, and a feast was prepared. Men and women danced and sang together, the _Skaikru_ , _Trikru_ , and _Azgeda_ coming together as one. From the edge of the camp, on a raised ledge, Lexa watched on, alone. A small smile reached her lips as she saw her people rejoicing in the peace she had fought long and hard to create. Already, with the threat of the mountain alleviated, she could see the changes that living without a shadow had created.

Footsteps reached her, and she turned to see Clarke, the girl sitting beside her. Clarke placed a hand on Lexa’s knee and kissed her cheek.

“ _You have done it again, Commander_ ,” Clarke said proudly. Lexa only nodded and smiled. “ _Do not look so somber. We lost few lives, and we did the impossible. This is not a time to be stoic_.” Lexa turned, stared into the girl’s eyes. Her girl, her warrior, her Sky-Girl, _her Clarke_. She kept her gaze on her lover as she slowly removed her shirt, peeling it off of her freshly bathed body. She then removed her chest bindings, leaving her top half bare to the deep blue eyes that stared at her toned muscles and exposed breasts. Lexa pulled her knife out of its holster on her calf and extended the handle to Clarke.

“ _I wish for you to make the kill marks_ ,” Lexa stated.

“ _I couldn’t_.”

“ _Beja, hodnes. It must be done,_ ” Lexa asked softly. With a shaky breath, Clarke took the knife, and Lexa turned so her back was facing Clarke.

“ _How many_?” the blonde inquired.

“ _Thirty-three_.”

 

At dawn, Lexa was once again awake, and the camp was being disassembled. She strode towards Jake Griffin and Officer Miller, where many of the _Skaikru_ fighters were standing. She shook hands with each of them before nodding to the others.

“If any of your people wish to stay in Polis, they will be welcomed with open arms,” Lexa offered.

“That is very kind, Commander. I think we are all ready to be home, though, with our families. Soon, we will visit,” Jake promised.

“I will stay with you,” Kane said, “as an ambassador between my people and yours.”

“I will, too,” Octavia stated, her chin high. She hugged the delinquents, wishing them well on their travels. “I have to take care of the _Azgeda_ departure with Indra. I will see you all soon, I hope.” With a final farewell, Octavia ran off. Artigas was there as well, hugging Harper goodbye. Monroe shifted away from them, and Monty looked at her with sympathy and understanding.

“May we meet again,” Jake said, and nodded. With that, the _Skaikru_ gathered their horses and took off with a warrior to escort them back.

“Thank you for assisting me,” Lexa began as she and Kane turned to walk back to camp. Before she could continue, though, shouts came from the _Azgeda_ part of the camp.

“Lexa!” Octavia screamed. “Lexa!” The commander took off at a run, not knowing what was occurring. The urgency in Octavia’s voice cut into Lexa’s heart, causing her to fear the worst, though she wasn’t sure what the worst could be.

She arrived at the back of the camp, chest heaving, heart pounding in her ears. She found many of her warriors, including Octavia and Indra, standing around an _Azgeda_ man, their weapons drawn and aimed at him.

“What is going on?” she asked.

“The _Azgeda_ have taken off,” Octavia answered, her voice raw and shaking, “and they have taken Clarke captive.”


	8. The Schism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa has to deal with everything... alone.

For the millionth time, Lexa stood, frozen where she was. A million thoughts and feelings raced through her mind; dread, sadness, hopelessness. However, only anger registered, and it was at the forefront of her mind. Before she even knew what she was doing, she jumped on a nearby horse and began riding. She had no idea which way the _Azgeda_ could have gone. Obviously, they were traveling towards the North, but there were many roads they could have taken, many directions they could have followed. Even if she did find them, it was possible that they had split up and taken Clarke in the opposite direction. And, her finding them was risky, as they were an entire army following their queen, and she was but one warrior. There was also the possibility that Nia just wanted to spite Lexa, wanted to get it over with, and Clarke was dead…

The possibilities swarmed her head, clouded her thoughts and her judgement. She rode on, not knowing where she was going. For the first time in her life, she was without a plan. For the first time, she was helpless. She wasn’t the fearless _heda,_ she was a scared girl chasing after her love, praying to whatever higher power would listen that another of her loved ones wouldn’t die at the hands of the _Azgeda_.

A horse came charging at her from the side, stopping in front of her. Lexa barely noticed, but the horse beneath her stopped abruptly. Her ears were ringing and her vision was black around the edges, but she could make out a worried Indra with her mouth moving. The woman brought her black horse to the side of Lexa, facing her and putting hands on Lexa’s shoulders.

Finally, the ringing in her ears began to subside. “ _Heda, are you listening_?” the woman asked. “ _Lexa._ ” Lexa nodded, her mouth still agape. “ _Heda, you cannot go after her. Do you understand_? _What’s done is done. Trying to find her now would do more harm than good._ ”

“ _I don’t know what to do_ ,” Lexa whispered, her voice thick.

“ _Then I will tell you what to do. You will lead your men back to Polis. You will put on a brave face, go back to the capitol, and tell the people that you have defeated the mountain. Then, you wait for Nia to make her move_ ,” Indra said.

“ _If I wait, she will kill Clarke_.”

“ _No, she must keep the girl alive. If she wants to get to you, she needs leverage. She knows that Clarke is your weakness, and she will use her to take you off of your throne,_ ” Indra insisted. “ _Come. Pull yourself together. You will get Clarke back soon. If you fall apart now, Nia will have already won_.” Lexa nodded and lifted her chin, drawing herself up. Physically, she would be strong, unwavering. But Lexa knew that, on the inside, she would be a mess of feelings. Love was weakness, Lexa knew this. Still, she was weak, she loved and she lost and she wasn’t sure why. Then she remembered Clarke’s blue eyes and beautiful soul. She thought of Clarke’s good heart, her patience with the commander, her affection for Lexa’s Nightbloods, her sweet, calming words. In ways, love was weakness, Lexa concluded, but only if you let it be. In truth, love was strength in many ways, and it was a strength that Lexa couldn’t live without.

Lexa and Indra rode back to the disassembled camp together, where Lexa’s army was waiting. Octavia came to her side immediately, worry in her green eyes. The _Azgeda_ warrior that they had captured was tied to a post left in the ground. Lexa saw him, and she glared, her anger resurfacing. Jumping off of the horse, Lexa walked over to the man, unsheathing her sword. She turned back to her army, fixing them with a determined gaze.

“This was an act of war,” she growled, loud enough for all to hear. With a swipe, her blade cut through the man’s neck. She didn’t even watch as his body sank on the post, as blood poured over her sword. “Death to Queen Nia!”

 

Things had slowed down in Polis, as they usually did after a war. The people had rejoiced when they heard of the mountain’s downfall, and they had praised even the _Skaikru_. Many feasts were had, many gifts sent to Lexa. Outside, in the city, everything was calm. Little did the people know that, inside the confines of Lexa’s tower, in the center of it all, another war was brewing.

Many things had happened all at once. Nia’s ambassadors had been leaving the capitol as _Azgeda_ left the Coalition, and she had entered a secret alliance with the leaders of the Delphi Clan. Lexa had, of course, known that they were in agreement in their opposition to Lexa’s political agenda, so she had always known to tread lightly with the Delphi Clan. Immediately upon her arrival at the capitol, though, Lexa learned from a Delphi official that they had pulled out of the Coalition in solidarity with Queen Nia. The official had been pushed out of the Delphi council, as more and more of Nia’s cohorts in the Delphi government were forcibly taking power.

“ _The take-over has been going on for months_ ,” the official, Antoni, told her. They were in the throne room with Indra and Quint, her new top general for the time being. Until Lexa needed to take drastic measures, she had resolved to leaving the ambassadors out of the loop. “ _Our chief, however, is keeping it quiet, at Nia’s behest. He is being paid greatly for this, as are the other officials in her grasp, by Nia herself_.”

“ _Were you approached with an offer from Nia_?” Lexa asked.

“ _I was, but I declined. Nia only wishes to take power for herself, and she will bring great destruction to all of us if she wins. I do not believe in what she is doing_ ,” Antoni replied. Lexa thought his words to be true.

“ _I assume that the Delphi army will be joining the Azgeda army in their fight against me and my Coalition_ ,” Lexa stated weakly.

“ _You are correct_ ,” Antoni said. “ _When Nia makes her move, Delphi will be with her. But, I will do everything in my power to stop this_.”

“ _How do you mean_?” Lexa inquired.

“ _A few of the officials who have not stooped to such corruption and I have been rallying a rebel army for some time. Now that war is beginning, we will fight the Delphi army and attempt to take back our positions of power. If we must, we will overthrow the chief_ ,” Antoni explained. “ _I ask for some assistance from you, though_.”

Lexa nodded. “ _I will send you back to your army with resources and able warriors, though I can only spare a few. I insist, however, that the leader of this rebel army be someone of my choosing_.”

“ _Of course, Heda. Who do you have in mind_?”

Lexa turned and looked at Indra, before returning her gaze to the man standing before her. “ _Octavia kom Skaikru will lead you_.”

“ _A Sky-Girl_?” Antoni gasped, but with a sharp stare from Lexa, he shook his head. “ _Apologies, Heda. As you wish._ ”

“ _Heda_ ,” Indra began, “ _Octavia is not nearly prepared_.”

“ _Then she will be,_ ” Lexa demanded. “ _In a week’s time, Octavia and a small army of men will leave with supplies, and she will lead your rebels._ ” With nods from everyone in the room, Lexa sent Antoni away. “ _Indra, go tell Octavia what I have proposed. Train with her night and day. I trust that she will be well prepared by the time she must leave_.”

“ _Sha, Heda, she will be ready_.” Indra left the throne room, leaving Lexa with Quint.

“ _Are you sure this is wise_?” he asked, moving to stand before Lexa’s throne instead of beside it. Lexa stood and moved to face the man. He was much taller than her, but she still managed to present herself more powerfully than him.

“ _Do not question me, Quint. My Coalition is fracturing around me; do not think that I would make any rash decisions that would make the situation more fraught than it already is,_ ” Lexa hissed. She was tired, so tired. Every decision that she made was questioned and opposed, she was under constant scrutiny not only from her rivals and ambassadors, but from the very people who were meant to be on her side. It was impossible for her to do what she thought was right while still pleasing everyone around her. “ _Now leave me, and tell Luna kom Floukru that I must see her immediately_.” Quint only nodded and left. 

Lexa sighed and sat once again at her throne. She looked to her left, staring longingly at the seat Clarke usually occupied. She swallowed the fear that rose in her throat quickly before she let it consume her. Lexa had to be strong for Clarke.

“ _You wished to see me, Heda_?” Luna said, breaking Lexa from her thoughts. She hadn’t even noticed the woman enter the throne room. Luna stood there in her outfit of a short-sleeved shirt and leggings, her dark hair wild. Lexa hadn’t seen the woman in months, but she always looked the same. Her skin was tanned from the sun that always shined on the ocean where Luna’s domain spread.

“ _Thank you for coming, friend. I know you have traveled far to see me, but it is an urgent matter that we must discus_ ,” Lexa began.

“ _If you have brought me here to talk about war, I will not hear it_ ,” the woman warned, and Lexa nodded.

“ _I know that you wish for neutrality in this, which I will grant you. I have a proposition for you, though, that I hope you will not decline_.”

“ _By all means, explain what it is_ ,” Luna insisted.

“ _You are the most powerful ally that I have, Luna. Your fighting ability is superb, though I respect that you have vowed to stay non-violent. Still, the other ambassadors comply with you, and that is a power that can be far greater than physical strength. I need you on my side in order to keep this Coalition stable_ ,” Lexa admitted. “ _Azgeda and the Delphi Clan are no longer part of my Coalition, as they have acted against it. Now, I fear the other clans will join them if I am not careful. That is why I need only you to stand with me as I do something in secret._ ”

“ _What is it that you wish to do_?”

“ _I wish to welcome Skaikru into my Coalition_ ,” Lexa answered, her voice unwavering.

Luna stood with a pensive look on her face for a few moments. “ _The ambassadors will be upset with this decision._ ”

“ _The ambassadors_ ,” Lexa seethed, “ _will have to deal with it_.” A wry smile grew on Luna’s face, and she took a few steps closer to the stairs leading to Lexa’s throne.

“ _On behalf of my people, I will stand with you, Heda, as I did during your fight for the Coalition_ ,” Luna declared. Lexa stood and descended the stairs to Luna’s level. They grasped each other’s forearms, and with that, their deal was sealed.

“ _Tonight, the ceremony must begin. I will speak to Marcus Kane immediately and I will let you know when we will be ready_.”

“ _Sha, Heda. I will speak with you later_ ,” Luna said, then turned and left the throne room swiftly.

With a sigh, Lexa ran a hand over her face. As difficult as things were, at least some of her plans were following through. She stormed out of the throne room and got on the lift, descending to where she had given Marcus Kane a room to stay in. Most ambassadors had their own estates in or around Polis, but because _Skaikru_ wasn’t officially a clan yet, Kane was being housed with her. She reached his suite and the guards knocked on the door for her. Lexa’s presence was announced, and with a sound of affirmation from Kane, she entered.

Inside, the sitting parlor was made up and seemed to be barely used. Of course, they had only been in Polis for four days after defeating the mountain, but Kane had lots of downtime to use the various rooms in his suite. The sofas and chairs were neat, the table only had one book on top of it, and the desk was orderly. Kane sat in a chair at the head of the small table, so Lexa sat in the one opposite him.

“How are you today, _Heda_?” he asked politely.

“Well,” she lied. “I have very important matters to discuss with you concerning the state of the _Skaikru_ being allied with my Coalition.”

“Have we done something wrong? I assure you, Commander, any misstep my people have made was not with malicious intent towards you or your people,” Kane answered. It was obvious that he venerated Lexa, but she made him nervous.

“It is nothing like that,” Lexa assured the man. “I have a request that is very short notice, but I must have an answer to this question before sundown.” The man nodded in understanding, bidding Lexa to continue. “I ask that _Skaikru_ join my Coalition as the thirteenth clan.” She purposely left out the fact that, with the way things were going, it would be more likely that the _Skaikru_ would become the eleventh clan.

“That _is_ a matter that I will have to consider.”

“I understand that this is a very important decision to make. However, I see only ways that this situation will work to your benefit. The luxuries that you receive with the alliance already in place will only solidify. You will have access to free trade between the clans, free travel throughout the realm. Your people may live in villages or cities within my Coalition if they so choose. Military aid will always be available to you, and your people will never go hungry.” Lexa spoke with certainty in her voice, as she usually did. It was important to her that the _Skaikru_ enter the Coalition, not only because it would bring a technological advantage to her side of the fight against Nia, but because she truly thought that their entry into her rule would help foster peace between the two. Many of Lexa’s people were wary of the _Skaikru_ , as they resembled the Mountain Men. Lexa hoped to eradicate this fear, so that all of their children, _Skaikru_ and _Trikru_ alike, would be able to grow without the violence that hatred and fear brought.

“What would you be asking for in return?” Kane inquired.

“Only that you will support me militarily if you are called upon, as is required of all other clans. Hopefully, this need will diminish now that we have defeated the Mountain Men,” Lexa said.

“I understand that one of your clans has started a war,” Kane countered. “Is this why you are asking us to enter the Coalition?”

“Certainly not. Though I hope you will aid me in my fight against the dissenting _Azgeda_ and their allied Delphi clans, that is not why I am asking this of you. I have been pondering over this for months. After seeing your people become friendly with mine, and having witnessed the bravery you exhibited at the mountain, I think it would be best,” Lexa stated cooly, “for all of us.”

“I agree with you, _Heda_. I will need to radio Jake and Abby before I can confirm for certain that we will join.”

“I will leave you to do that, then,” Lexa stated, standing from her chair.

“Wait outside for a few minutes. I will have an answer for you shortly,” Kane said. Lexa nodded and left the room, posting up a few feet away. After a few moments, she heard many voices, most prominently Kane’s. She tried to ignore the shouts, in order to give the man and his colleagues some sort of privacy, but they were coming through very clearly. It seemed that Abby was still distrustful, but Lexa was hoping that Kane would persuade her. “Commander,” Kane called as he stuck his head out of the door, “please come in.”

“Do you have an answer?” Lexa asked. “A favorable one, I hope.”

“The Council has decided that we accept your offer to join your Coalition,” Kane said. Lexa imperceptibly let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding.

“It’s settled then. The ceremony will be tonight. You will take the brand of the Coalition,” Lexa explained. “Then, you are immediately brought into the Coalition.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Kane answered, shrugging. “Thank you for this opportunity, _Heda_.”

 

After initiating _Skaikru_ into the Coalition, Lexa found herself with nothing more to do. She was still trying to keep the ambassadors out of the loop, as they would cause her more stress than was needed. Sometimes, she had to take matters completely into her own hands. But now, the game had changed. She no longer had the ability to make decisions or send out armies. The war had begun, but it was void of fighting.

“ _It has been two weeks, Indra, and she hasn’t made any moves_ ,” Lexa sighed, exasperated. “ _I cannot wait any longer._ ”

“ _Waiting is the only thing you can do_ ,” Indra insisted.

“ _What if she has already killed Clarke_?” Lexa exclaimed, a sob just barely escaping her throat. She sat on a chair in her sitting room. Indra towered over her, a grounding force.

“ _If she had killed Clarke, you would have received her head in a box by now._ ”

Lexa’s breaths came out in short gasps. She hadn’t been this worried, this worked up in many years. The only person who could calm her was in the hands of Lexa’s greatest enemy.

“ _I need her_ ,” Lexa whispered.

“ _I know_ ,” Indra said, showing a surprising amount of compassion. “ _I fear for her, too. She is a good friend, and a great warrior._ ”

“ _I have to do something_ ,” Lexa concluded, standing from her chair. She pushed past Indra and began to pace. “ _I can do something. Ai laik heda_. _I will get her back_.” She stopped her pacing, drew up her posture. Turning to Indra, she commanded, “ _Let Nia know that I have something of hers. If she wishes to see her beloved son again, she will bring me Clarke_.”

 

*          *          *          *

 

It took three days.

Three days, and Lexa’s heart was pounding in her ears, her nerves finally getting to her.

Three days, and all of Polis fell silent with the arrival of the icy visitor.

Three days, and the two rivals came to a head, respective captives in their clutches.

Queen Nia came charging into Lexa’s throne room, which was already filled with restless, clueless ambassadors. The guards outside could barely contain the woman. _Azgeda_ men trailed her, carrying with them a squirming figure. _Clarke_. Her beautiful blonde hair was disheveled, braids fallen out. Minute cuts and bruises maimed her skin, and her blue eyes were dulled with anger and exhaustion. Her hands were bound in front of her, and a gag was tied in her mouth. Lexa almost cringed, and her heart sank. She had let her beautiful love fall into the hands of the coldest woman on Earth.

“ _I see you have found leverage in this little game of ours, Lexa_ ,” Nia sneered. Her gray eyes drifted over to the regal man sitting beside Lexa’s throne. Prince Roan of _Azgeda_ hardly looked like a prisoner, and he was treated as a guest, even doing some bounty work for Lexa, but he was always surrounded and monitored by guards.

“ _You will respect your commander by addressing her correctly_ ,” Indra hissed, moving from behind Lexa’s throne with a hand on her dagger.

“ _She is no longer my commander_ ,” Nia fired back. “ _Anyway, you have placed more value on this man than he truly is worth. You know that my son has been banished from my lands._ ”

Lexa stared at the woman for moments longer, then finally spoke. “ _If he is truly worth as little as you say_ ,” Lexa said calmly, “ _then you would not have come here today_.” Nia only smiled sickeningly and moved closer to Lexa, giving the commander a better view of Clarke. The blonde watched the exchange, enamored with the sight of a strong-willed Lexa, who was so calm in such a precarious situation.

“ _I will make this easy for you,_ Commander,” the queen said mockingly. “ _If you wish to have your prized general back, you will fight for her life_.”

“ _You do not mean_ …” Titus jumped in, trailing off. The man had fallen out of Lexa’s good graces, as he preached against Lexa’s relationship with Clarke. Even still, she had to include him in this meeting, because his official presence was needed. Otherwise, she tried to keep him out of all of her affairs.

“ _Yes_ ,” Nia concluded gleefully, “ _I challenge you to soulou gonplei_.”

“ _Heda_ ,” Titus whispered, “ _do not do this. Do not throw away your life for this girl_.” Lexa barely listened to the man. She only stared at Clarke. Blue eyes were frantic, trying to convey words that couldn’t be said. Clarke shook her head imperceptibly.

With a breath, Lexa answered, “ _I accept your challenge_.” She glared at Nia, who returned Lexa’s green stare.

“Commander, what is this?” Kane asked from his newly added seat. He was trying to keep up, but he had barely learned much Trigedasleng yet.

“What is this _Skaikru_ man doing here?” Nia demanded, easily switching to English.

“Ten days ago,” Titus said, pointing at Kane, “ _Skaikru_ took the brand.” Gasps rang throughout the room, the fact shocking the ambassadors who were left in the dark. Luna smirked from her seat.

“The queen of Ice Nation has challenged me to a single combat for the life of my general,” Lexa explained to Kane. Titus looked back at Lexa and took a shaky breath.

“Queen Nia,” Titus began, “who will be your champion?”

“My son, Prince Roan of _Azgeda_ ,” she answered proudly. All eyes flew to Lexa. Roan was three times the commander’s size, and he was known to be a ruthless warrior. Nia turned to the _Azgeda_ that trailed behind her. There were three men surrounding Clarke, and a girl with dark hair and prominent scars on her face. “ _Ontari, take Clarke kom Trikru back to the house of the Azgeda delegation. Soulou gonplei will begin in one hour._ ”

  
It seemed as though all of Polis had crowded around the official battle ground. It was a common meeting place for announcements from the commander, as there was a stage placed at the front of the arena. On this day, however, the people were in a semi-circle to watch their commander fight. The hard stone ground was stained with blood, though it had only been used for fighting a few times. It was rare that commanders had sanctioned fights, whether they be for public entertainment or to settle challenges.

Lexa and Roan stood side by side, waiting for the challenge to be announced. Each ambassador had a seat on the stage, as did Titus, representing _Trikru_. Clarke stood behind Nia, still bound and gagged, being held by the guards. The other _Azgeda_ girl, Ontari, also stood there.

“ _In soulou gonplei, there is but one rule: someone must die today_!” Titus boomed, his voice somehow quieting the large crowd for moments. After his announcement, cheers rang out, shouts of ‘ _Heda_!’ filling the air. Drums beat quickly, pumping to the time of Lexa’s heart. She managed to school her nerves, to focus on nothing but what was in front of her. “ _You may begin_!”

Both Lexa and Roan moved to opposite sides of the fighting ground, where guards stood holding short swords for each of them. Lexa removed her shoulder plate with the red cape, and she unsheathed the sword with a flourish. Turning around, her eyes met Clarke’s. The bright blues were watery with fear. Lexa sent her an assuring nod. Clarke’s eyes went wide, looking past the commander, and Lexa turned easily to catch Roan charging at her. She clashed her sword against his once, then let her blade cut through his side as his momentum was still moving him forward. They faced each other once again, and Lexa used the slight break in action to catch her breath. Once Roan was in front of her, she swung her blade at the man, trying and succeeding to get him on the defensive. He blocked every one of her swipes with a loud clang, and they paced across the fighting ring at an easy speed. Lexa turned quickly, trying to catch him off guard, but Roan saw the aggressive attack and still blocked her. She knew her moves were too quick, but if she couldn’t gain an upper-hand early, she would be dead.

Lexa took a swipe at Roan’s legs, but he jumped back, catching her next attack. They were locked in a stalemate, Roan’s strength keeping his sword firmly locked against hers. Lexa was strong, but the man was bigger, and he pushed her down to her knees. 

“You’re done,” Roan growled. Lexa’s arms shook with the effort to keep the blades away from her neck. She wouldn’t be able to hold on for much longer. In a bold move, Lexa let go of her sword with her left hand and wrapped it around Roan’s blade. She hissed as the pain of the sharp metal shot through her arm, a cold feeling finding her nerves. Black blood poured from between her gloved fingers and onto the ground. With the extra leverage, Lexa pushed the swords violently towards Roan, sending the man stumbling backwards. Angered, he took harsh swings at Lexa, which she dodged. It seemed that she was able to best him, until he caught her wrist mid-spin, kicking her back and causing her to lose her weapon. Roan strode towards Lexa, confidence in his hard brown gaze. Blood already mixed with the white paint on his face, and his pristine brown braids were coming loose. As he reached Lexa, she slammed her fists into his knee. The man hit the ground hard, and Lexa retrieved both swords from the ground before he could get up. She held them out in a fighting stance, chest heaving, heart pounding, waiting for Roan’s next move.

Unexpectedly, he got up and went for a guard, punching the sentry and taking his tall spear. Roan twirled the staff around his body artfully before taking a swipe at Lexa’s head. The commander ducked under this, moving out of his reach. With a cry, Lexa charged at Roan, swords flying. Her feet moved with excellent precision, her arms swung with perfect timing. Roan blocked every advance with his spear. Spinning, Lexa continued on, trying to find an opening. The man was good, but Lexa was better. They caught their weapons in a stalemate again, but this time Roan’s spearhead swiped Lexa’s left arm, grazing her hip as she dropped her first sword. As she was stunned, he knocked the weapon out of Lexa’s right hand. Before Lexa knew what was happening, all the air left her body. Her heart and lungs felt as though they were going to burst, and her ribs ached. Roan had kicked her, sending her flying back to the ground. Lexa couldn’t even hear the collective gasp that the crowd took. Her hearing was gone, and black spots surrounded her vision. Still, she could see Roan towering over her, twirling his spear as he walked closer and closer. This was it; this was Lexa’s last moment. She knew that almost all the fight had left her. She hoped that her spirit would choose wisely, so the next commander would continue her legacy. Lexa hoped that Clarke would find someone else to love, though it pained her to think of an afterlife without her blonde warrior. Lexa knew that she would ascend to the heavens, as she ascended to her role as commander.

Roan held the spear in both hands, pulling it back towards his shoulder. The power that he amassed would strike the final, piercing blow with such force to Lexa’s chest. She wished for it to be fast, so that she wouldn’t have to feel the pain for very long. With another breath, Roan brought the point of the spear crashing down.

Instead of slicing through Lexa’s skin, the tip of the blade hit the ground with a crack. Lexa had rolled to the side, stunning Roan. Before the man could catch up, she swung her legs around and caught his, bringing him to the ground. He recovered quickly, but she moved her weight to both her hands so she could swing her body out of the way. Again, they were both on their feet, and Lexa dodged each swipe of the spear skillfully. The people of Polis roared, urging their commander on. Roan made a stab at Lexa’s side, and she caught the shaft of the spear in her hands, taking it from Roan and forcing him back. She finally had a chance to take the offensive. While Roan was retreating, she hit his right leg, then his left. He was on his knees when Lexa swiped the bottom of the spear up, administering a hard blow to Roan’s face and nose. The man collapsed on his back, spent.

Lexa stood over Roan, the point of the spear hovering over his chest. He looked at her, conceding, waiting for his death.

“ _Get up_!” Nia cried from the stage. “ _If you die, you do not die a prince_! _You die a coward_!” Still, Roan made no move. He just stared at Lexa expectantly. In that moment, Lexa knew what she had to do. Her quarrels were not with Prince Roan, but his menacing, ungrateful mother. It was not Roan’s blood that would serve retribution for all that Lexa and her people had lost.

“ _Jus drein jus daun_ ,” Lexa growled. She turned and swiftly threw the spear. The weapon hit its mark with a sickening thud, and Nia fell back against the chair she had been seated on. Cries rang out from the crowd surrounding Lexa. A commotion was started as the _Azgeda_ warriors began to scatter. Roan was collected by two guards. Lexa looked at Clarke as the girl was taken by two of Lexa’s guards, ensuring that the retreating _Azgeda_ wouldn’t leave with the warrior. Clarke’s eyes were shining with pride, and she smiled around the gag that was being removed. The ambassadors hurried to leave, as they feared they would face the same fate that Nia did. The crowd began to disperse, ushered out by Lexa’s many guards.

The strong commander fell to the ground, her chest still heaving. The sting from Roan’s kick pierced her chest, and once again she was finding it hard to breathe. Adrenaline had been keeping Lexa moving, but now that it had subsided, she felt every cut and slash that bled through her clothing. She laid on her back, watching the small white clouds as they drifted peacefully through the blue sky.

Clarke was untied, and she bounded off of the stage and to her fallen love. “ _Lexa_!” she sobbed. “ _Lexa, niron, I’m so proud of you. You did so well._ ” Lexa managed to bring her gaze to the blonde, and she turned her lips up in a small smile. Slowly, her eyelids began to drift closed. “ _Please, Lexa, just stay awake. Your fight isn’t over just yet. Stay awake, hodnes, keep your eyes open. The healer is almost here_.” Lexa tried to listen to the pleas of her love, she tried to force her eyes to stay on the cerulean orbs she could drown in, but her body wouldn’t listen.

Everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so this ended up being really canon, but it's mostly because 3x04 is one of my favorite episodes in all of the seasons.  
> Also, if I accidentally spell Kane's name Markus (with a 'k'), just don't worry about it. A character in one of my stories is named Markus with a 'k' so sometimes I automatically spell it that way.
> 
> Up next: Nia is dead, but Ontari causes a lot of trouble, and some interesting news about Octavia reaches Polis.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, guys! If you liked this, leave me a comment or a kudos, or send me a message on tumblr (I'm evil-earthcleavage).


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